A Chance of Fate
by heyitsmehahaha
Summary: 'How things would have been if Kushina wasn't stubborn enough to push through with giving birth at the right time,' the once-again-Hokage though bitterly. But who could blame her when Naruto almost died when she gave birth to him before she was due? Who would've thought something like this would happen? And who'd think nothing more tragic could happen? FEMALESasuXNaruto later on
1. Chapter 1

Ok so I read this chapter and thought I'd edit something. I'll edit every chapter now~

* * *

A five-year old Itachi looked on as Mikoto and Fugaku signed a paper at the Hokage's Tower. The Hokage, of course, was there. His wife, Lady Kushina was, too. And as Itachi's mother held his baby sister, Kushina was holding her own baby. Itachi was young but he knew what exactly was happening.

They were setting her baby sister up for an arranged marriage.

Itachi wasn't enthusiastic about it. Sasuki was barely even a week old! But he also knew that this way, the Uchiha had something to hold Konoha for.

Sasuki was engaged to the Fourth Hokage's son.

* * *

"Kushina is to give birth a few months before her due. Specifically, seven months in her pregnancy," Biwako, the Sandaime's wife informed Minato. It has been quite a discussion, though in secret, among the trusted doctors and researchers in Konoha. The Yodaime's wife, the one holding the Kyuubi, was with child. "The Shodai's wife's pregnancy has been researched carefully through the years. And it was concluded that the longer she was in pregnancy, the more energy the growing fetus was given. And even more, once labor takes place. This energy, of course, was taken from the seal."

Before Minato could even ask what dangers this would bring to his wife and child, Biwako had explained, "Kushina, she will be fine. She's a kunoichi, a cut will do her no harm that it usually does. Not to mention, she's an Uzumaki. It will be a great risk to the child to be born prematurely, yes. But its the best option. Would you rather have the nine-tails escape?"

"If you'd like, you should go and have Lady Tsunade be found. She's the best medic this country had seen and she will be a big help if anything happens. The search for her, though, will be difficult. You should start ow if you intend to ask for her help."

Months after Biwako had stated what must be done for Kushina's pregnancy, Minato realized one thing most of all. It was no joke, searching for the sannin. Especially one who didn't want to be discovered. But with help from Jiraiya-sensei, she was finally found and persuaded to help the pregnant Jinchuuriki.

And right on the first of July, Kushina, along with her entourage, left Konoha on a supposed 'vacation to prevent stress before giving birth.' In reality, she was already going to give birth.

Minato was with her. They had left Lord Third in charge for a while. Nothing should happen in a month's time. She needed her husband. She deserved that much.

Their firstborn son, Namikaze Naruto came to be on July 10th. He was very small. Too small, too thin, but that was expected of a baby born too early. His wispy yellow hair had yet to fully cover his head, but Kushina knew that it would soon grow thick and it would be quite a mess. Kushina was glad he took after his father's hair. He would have been in big trouble ahead in his life should he have been a redhead like her. She was overjoyed when the baby opened his eyes to reveal mesmerizing blue orbs. How fortunate for the child! However, he still got Kushina's round face shape. And quite strangely, had three whisker-like marks on each cheek.

As quickly as he opened his eyes, he had closed them again. Kushina held him closer to her face. She felt his steady breathing, her own breaths followed suit. Tsunade was healing the cut on her stomach and she felt a great deal of pain. But she pulled through. So did Naruto. Minato was holding her hand and making sure that nothing happened to the seal. Lord Third's wife was cleaning away the blood the operation had resulted in. Everything was going smoothly.

Then Naruto stopped breathing.

"Tsunade-sama!" Kushina's horror was written in big, bold letters across her face. Tsunade left the almost completely healed wound on Kushina's stomach and started sending healing chakra to the little infant immediately.

* * *

"It's okay," Tsunade singsonged to the redheaded Hokage's wife. She was asked for assistance on the giving birth of a Jinchuuriki, not to stop a girl from crying like she was a mother. But she guessed it came with the job. Kushina's son had stopped breathing. It was only natural for her to cry.

"I don't think it will happen often," Tsunade soon told the Yondaime. She had lulled both the mother and his son to sleep. Now she had to explain what had happened. "He stopped breathing because he shouldn't have been born yet. He wasn't prepared, his body didn't expect it. But he should be able to pull through and get the hang of it soon."

"Soon?" Minato questioned.

"Well, it might happen again. He's still premature. But it should get better," Tsunade told him. "I'm staying for the month to keep an eye on both of them and I suggest we stay here."

"That's fine with me," Minato told her.

The next month, Naruto had less frequent attacks of not breathing. In fact, he hadn't stopped breathing in a week. He still was very small and thin and he slept most of the time but he looked less frail. When Tsunade told them that they're safe to go, Minato and his family travelled home.

* * *

"Kushina!" Mikoto started towards the Hokage's wife. She couldn't run as she was holding her newborn daughter but Kushina had heard her and waited for her to catch up.

"Oh! Mikoto!" Kushina finally said upon Mikoto reaching her. She immediately noticed the tuft of black hair on pale skin in her friend's arms. "She's so cute! What's her name?"

"Sasuki," Mikoto answered. "I thought of replacing a letter from Sarutobi Sasuke-sama's name,"

"Fugaku was very much against it but he decided on Itachi-kun's name. Its only fair that I get to name our little girl," she explained after seeing Kushina's entertained expression. "I see you have your little Naruto with you."

"Hai," Kushina answered. "Oi, Sasuki-chan, be friends with my little Naruto, okay? You're both so tiny! Aren't babies the cutest things ever? Dattebane!" she asked as she cooed to the little blond in her arms.

"I thought for sure that I would give birth sooner than you would," Mikoto told her after agreeing with her friend.

Kushina could only give a nervous laugh. She quickly changed the topic, walking alongside her friend for a little while before leaving.

* * *

"I called you in," Minato started. The Uchiha main family was standing in his office. Mikoto had resigned five years before to take care of Itachi and she sure wouldn't be getting missions again as she had just given birth to Sasuki. Itachi on the other hand was still in the Academy so why were they called? Shouldn't the Hokage just called for Fugaku? Despite that Fugaku rarely went out for missions because he was busy in the Police Force anyway.

"Because I wanted to make a proposal," Minato continued.

"Kaa-san, I need to pee," Itachi can't help himself. He was picked up from the academy right away and brought to the office. It's been quite some time since he felt the urge. He tried to hold it as long as he could. And he knew that it was embarassing to raise this and a bit rude, too. But he was sure that the oncoming embarassment would be worse if he peed his pants.

"Itachi-kun," Mikoto bowed down to his level. "Can't you hold it a bit longer? This is important."

"It's fine, Mikoto," Kushina spoke up. "I'll take him. You need to stay here to listen but he needs to go, dattebane!"

Kushina gave Naruto to Minato, the blond stirred slightly but went back to sleep. "Come on, Itachi-kun."

Itachi and Kushina went their way towards the bathroom. When they reached it, Itachi told the woman that he can do it by himself so Kushina stayed outside.

When they came back to the office, the adults were already almost done with their talk. Mikoto had just taken Sasuki from Fugaku as she finished signing on a document.

"Well then," Fugaku started.

"Thank you, Fugaku," Minato bowed respectfully. "I know the future of the Uchiha and Konoha have been bonded stronger for this."

"It's our pleasure."


	2. Chapter 2

Hi Guys :) thank you very much to those who reviewed. It meant so, so much. I hope you enjoy this chapter and don't forget to tell me anything you see wrong or if you'd want to suggest something :) I dont own anything.

* * *

Itachi watched as Sasuki, Naruto and Kiba played in their backyard. They have been playing for hours but they didn't seem to lose energy.

Most of the other clan children have already been picked up by their parents or someone sent by their parents. There were a few exceptions. For one, Nara Shikamaru was taking a nap just beside their pond.

Itachi shook his head, hoping none of the other children thought of pushing him into the water. Fortunately, the children were just a bit too young to think of such pranks.

"Nee-chan," Kiba bounded for her sister. "Naruto and Sasuki won't play with me."

"Are you an Inuzuka?" Hana seemed to yell. Kiba merely nodded when she yelled again, "Then, why are you being dominated?"

At that, the little boy started running towards the other kids. Hana started running towards Itachi.

"Itachi," Hana stood with her hands on her hips in front of him.

"Hana," Itachi regarded her and went back to silently watching her sister.

"Still formal, aren't we?" Hana picked up a pebble and threw it into the pond, splashing water on Shikamaru's face. He stirred but faced away from the water and went back to sleeping.

"Don't do that," Itachi told Hana.

"I'll do what I want,"

"You're in my territory," Itachi stared her down. After just the first month of dealing with Hana and her sibling, Itachi quickly learned that the only way to stop them from breaking things in other people's homes was to dominate them. As expected, she sat down, cross-legged, on the grass. This should keep her quiet for at least five minutes.

He's been using that logic for three years now. Ever since Minato had taken it upon himself to suggest something to all other clan heads.

_All willing clan children should be allowed to play with each other every few days._

It was a very effective notion. Some parents were more than happy to get their kids out of their sights for a few hours. Even the Hokage was.

It was just that no one would really volunteer their homes for the play dates. Their houses had to take turns.

Today, it was the Uchiha's mansion. Itachi took care not to accept any missions for today. He wanted to look after her sister and their house.

"You're no fun," Hana finally spoke up again. Her small fang was showing through gritted teeth.

"No, I'm Genin," Itachi told her.

"But you're still eight, you've got to play," Hana barked.

"Age is merely a number,"

After a while, Hana stood up and stalked towards where all the other children were. Itachi pitied her. They were the only ones who were their age. Who were attending this play date. There was another in the Hyuuga, but they never came to play. They never came at all.

A few months after Naruto and Sasuki's marriage contract had been signed, a Hyuuga heiress had been born. Hiashi soon expressed his thoughts about his daughter, Hinata, having an arranged marriage with Naruto. Minato politely apologized, saying he and Fugaku already had an agreement prior to the proposal. Feeling rejected and outwitted, the Hyuuga became more distant than ever.

Minato thought the silent treatment would end if he would invite all the clans and their children to simple get-togethers. He said it was to bond the children for their future missions together. It was obvious that it was also to open up the secretive clans to the others. It was mostly successful, had he been directing it towards the other clans. The Hyuuga had been stubborn. Even after two years, none of their members had come, especially not Hinata.

Itachi thought he should investigate if there was something happpening in the Hyuuga compound. They might go as far as beginning a coup d'état.

* * *

"Naruto!" Kushina had her hands on her hips, her red hair running wild. "Wake up, dattebane!"

"Too early!" Naruto reached for his blankets with his small hands. Kushina pulled it away before he could hide his whole body with it.

"Today's the day Kumogakure will sign a peace treaty!" she explained. Naruto turned away. "We need to be there. Your father already left an hour ago."

Without further talking, Kushina picked up Naruto. Having only a few minutes to spare, she carried her three-year old towards the bathroom and sat him on the toilet.

"Here, brush your teeth," she said, handing Naruto his toothbrush with some toothpaste. She quickly got a washcloth and started giving him a spongebath.

Naruto didn't even give his mother the luxury to see his blue eyes, keeping them closed all the while. Kushina dressed him in clean clothes and gave him a backpack and a sandwich for a quick breakfast.

The two got out of the house, Naruto once again in her arms, and locked the door behind them.

It was the day that the Kumo ninja sign a treaty with Konoha. Everyone was there to witness the newest alliance. Almost everyone.

The Hyuuga clan was having an event of their own. The Hyuuga main family heiress was to turn three. And that meant another branch member was to be given the caged bird seal.

Everyone in the clan thought that was the most pitiful event of the day. No one realized the impending danger.

* * *

Itachi came to the Hokage soon after the celebration for the treaty had ended.

Minato knew that Itachi's concern was reasonable, and he was to be trusted. Itachi was granted permission to spy at the Hyuuga compound at that very night.

Itachi sneaked into the compound a few hours after dusk. The moon shone on the compound and illuminated the dark, quiet alleys and houses. What he saw wasn't a meeting for a coup d'état.

Instead it was another spy. No, an assasin, maybe. It was a good thing he wasn't seen by the other. Itachi decided to keep his eyes on him.

The assasin lurked in the shadows and went inside one of the houses. The biggest one, the one housing the main family, no doubt. He came out a little while later, carrying something on his shoulder.

Another form, Hyuuga Hiashi, soon came out and caught the other man before he escaped the compound. Itachi realized that it was a ninja from Kumo when his forehead protector caught light.

And that it was a child, a little girl, Lady Hinata that he was carrying. The Hyuuga clan head went into a fighting stance, rage evident in his usually calm face.

Itachi leapt down from the roof he was hiding in after weighing what consequences this event would bring.

"Hyuuga-sama," Itachi bowed before facing the assasin.

"Uchiha," Hiashi appeared confused. "Are you with this man?"

"No," Itachi said as he activated his sharingan. "I must explain later."

"Then, get out of the way," Hiashi's confused tone was replaced with an angry one as his killing intent filled the air. The other ninja didn't seem to be fazed, but didn't take any chance to move. "I must deal with this man."

"Hyuuga-sama, if you kill him," Itachi stood his position and explained as briefest as he could. "Kumogakure will start a war. It's a trap. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgement."

Hiashi realized Itachi's reasoning and stood beside him once his emotions left. Itachi held the ninja in a genjutsu for a few minutes, signalling for the Hyuuga to do what must be done next. Hiashi blocked the Kumo nin's chakra points and took Hinata from his arms. He delivered a blow that knocked the ninja out but didn't kill him.

* * *

Minato stood in front of all the clan heads, his face deep in thinking. The Kumogakure ninja had been tied up and held by ANBU operatives and were being sentenced. Itachi's spying was let slip this time, seeing how things with Hinata's kidnapping were far more important. And that, had he not been there, it would've been worse.

"We cannot let this go," Hiashi firmly stated.

"Ahh, but if we kill him," Nara Shikaku spoke up. "Kumogakure will want a Konoha ninja dead in his place."

"That's right," Fugaku added. "It was in the treaty we signed."

"Damn that treaty," Inuzuka Tsume barked. "No one tries to kidnap pups and gets away with it."

"It's possible the Raikage planned to get one of his men killed by the Hyuuga," Shikaku said. "So that he may get a Hyuuga body in exchange."

"They're trying to get the byakugan," Akimichi Chouza exclaimed. All else nodded.

Hiashi knew that unlike the sharingan, one cannot take possesion of the byakugan from just a Hyuuga. The caged bird seal prevents that. But he wasn't going to reveal his clan's secrets.

"What do you suppose we should do, then?" Hiashi glared at the Hokage.


	3. Chapter 3

I've editted the errors out of the last chapter :)

* * *

One year later, Itachi felt déjà vu once again. Here they were, he was watching as Sasuki, Naruto and Kiba played in their backyard, and Hana was walking towards him.

"Itachi," Hana said, with a much calmer voice than before.

"Hana," Itachi replied with the same tone.

"Thank you for having me and my brother," she bowed and left without letting Itachi say anything else. She picked up the four-year old Kiba who was whining about something or the other. Soon, Shikamaru and Chouji were picked up by Shikaku, too.

Itachi thought and saw little changes and still realized how much things are different.

For one, Hinata and Neji are attending the gathering since after the kidnapping. The Hyuuga finally started putting trust in the village after what had happened.

* * *

**Flashback**

The incident with the Hyuuga was carefully thought out by the Hokage and the clan leaders. It was dismissed and continued a few times over the next days. After the meeting went on to be more secretive, the Kumo nin weren't allowed to be in the same room anymore. Then even the ANBU weren't allowed to witness. A few of the clan leaders gave their own clan secrets away to help with the case. They related their thoughts, reasonable or not.

"I have a jutsu that can take control of another's body," Inoichi stated. "How about we make him attack the Raikage and then the Raikage will kill him? We would be getting justice for the kidnapping but we would not own the blame."

"It is a good idea," Shikaku commented. "But unless you've made a version that can take control of someone from miles away, it will pose a great risk. They'll figure it out and give a chase before we escape their borders."

"We can use my Flying Thunder God technique to escape a few miles before the Raikage reaches us," Minato added.

"No," Shikaku said. "It will be dangerous for you to leave Konoha now. There might be a trap or an ambush waiting somewhere."

"Then, I can send in the Chunin I've taught the technique to."

"The Kumo would be suspicious if we sent for more than three people as guards."

"We are getting nowhere," Hiashi interrupted.

"We must think this out carefully," Fugaku commented. "One wrong move might mean war."

"The Uchiha is right," Shikaku agreed.

"Perhaps we should send a dog after the Kumo nin after a while. We'll blame wild animals," Tsume suggested.

"I have something," Shibi finally spoke. Everyone turned their heads to listen to the words that rarely left the man's lips.

"I have been breeding insects as you should all know from knowing my clan. Some of them carry poisons, ranging from fast acting ones that kill instantly in one sting, to ones that would grow with the victim's body. They serve different purposes and I should know that the slower toxins would benefit us most in this situation."

The other clan members listened intently. He may rarely speak but when he does, he seems to have a lot to say.

"I can send in a female bug that the nin will carry about until he reaches Kumo. When he's settled and the Raikage starts to think that we've let bygones be bygones, I'll send in another bug. A male that will sting the victim and maybe a few others. The symptoms of the poison wouldn't show for another month and when it does, the pain is worth the wait. That should be justice enough. If it isn't, I can even send enough to kill half their ninja population."

"What of suspicions?" Shikaku questioned.

"The symptoms are those that are very much alike certain food poisoning. It will cause vomiting, bleeding, dehydration, eventual paralysis and slow death. They'll think it was just an epidemic. They'll never know that it was planned.

Shikaku nodded. He thought it out carefully before giving an answer. "It's the best idea I've heard."

"Are you gonna kill the visitors or half their population?" Tsume asked.

"But its inhumane to kill innocent people," Chouza remarked.

"Perhaps," Hiashi countered. "And kidnapping my three-year old daughter was fair?"

"I don't think we should kill more than necessary," Minato answered. "We'll only send the bugs to the ninja who had been here and a few who get in close contact with them. Can you do that, Shibi?"

Shibi merely nodded.

The meeting was dismissed again. The next gathering would be with the Kumo nin to witness. The clan leaders were to act as if they had decided to just let the Kumo nin go as this had obviously taken up too much of Konoha's time and efforts. They even planned on Hiashi getting up in an angry fit and walking out of the room. The Kumo nin would never know what hit them.

* * *

The planned went on successfully over the next few weeks. Konoha even 'helped' with trying to reveal what 'undiscovered bugs' had attacked Kumo. With this, Hiashi was pleased. Not only had the other clans helped with his daughter's case, they even gave away some of their clan secrets in the process. Soon, he was trusting of them more in less than two months than he ever did in more than thirty years. He realized this and wished as though he could have learnt it sooner. He decided that Hinata and all other clan children should, too.

"Hinata, do you know of the other clan children gathering at times?" he questioned her as they were eating supper.

"Y-yes Otou-san," Hinata stuttered. Ever since the kidnapping, she had developed this trait. Hiashi hoped she would get better with his plans.

"Really?" he asked to get her to speak more.

"Y-yes. S-sometimes when Kaa-san brings me t-to the market, I would see them in a g-group heading somewhere," she answered.

"How would you like to join them?"

His wife and daughter both had a confused look on their faces. He only sent them a nod.

"I will talk to the other clan heads regarding this activity. I will send you to wherever they will gather and you will make friends."

* * *

Ino ran towards the new girl. She quickly greeted and bowed at whoever the girl was hiding behind, before talking to the dark-haired child.

"Hi! My name's Ino, what's yours?" she said, noticing that the girl wasn't the only new child brought to the place. She was with another boy who almost looked identical to her. Or so it seemed to Ino. She didn't want to bother with the boy though.

"You're shy, aren't you?" Ino told her more than asked. Ino was only three years old. But she had more confidence than almost everyone her age. "Well, that's okay, as long as you're a girl. It's boring when I'm the only girl."

Hinata began warming up to the blond slowly but it was a start. She tugged on the person who brought her there and said, "You c-can leave me with Neji-kun now."

"Yes, Hinata-sama," the person said before bowing and leaving. Neji stood beside Hinata protectively but not going over.

"N-Neji-kun, you can play with the others, if you like," she said. Neji thanked her but insisted on staying with her.

"I know!" Ino suddenly exclaimed. "We can braid each others hair!"

"But I have short h-hair," Hinata raised her eyebrows. "And I don't know how to."

"I'll show you!" Ino replied, excitement leaking from her voice. "But you have to meet everyone else first."

The three went through everybody else, gathering different expressions from each. Naruto asked why the byakugan users were blind, getting a rather proud answer from Neji.

"Lot like Sasuki, dattebayo!" Naruto said, pointing at Neji. "Don't like!"

Sasuki scoffed but listened in to the conversation. Naruto pointed to Hinata and said he liked her better than her cousin.

"Play!" Sasuki tugged on Naruto. The three left them alone and went on to whoever they need to meet next.

"I don't count Sasuki a girl," Ino told them before they could question her. "She doesn't act like one."

They walked up to Kiba and Chouji who were eating. Kiba started to sniff out Hinata and Neji. They both looked a little comfortable so Ino reprimanded Kiba before they moved on. The saw Shikamaru napping beside a tree and Ino told Hinata the basic of him. Don't bother with him at all. When the two left, Shikamaru muttered, 'troublesome.' They soon met everyone, even Shino who was alone in the bushes.

After that, for the next few hours, Ino showed Hinata how to braid hair. They were both happy that they had friends now, specifically for Ino, a girl friend.

When dinner came, Chouji's parents came and brought food from their own restaurant. The children were gathered and they ate together. It was unlike any supper Hinata ever had.

"Oi, Sasuki!" Ino yelled over the table. "You should start acting like a girl. It's fun to have girl friends."

"Hn," Sasuki only glanced at the girl. There were far more important things to her than being a girl. Living up to her parents' expectations and her older brother's standards were examples.

"You do that, Ino," Kiba interrupted. "Sasuki better off training with!"

"Yeah!" Naruto added.

"No need to fight," Chouji said while munching on pork barbeque.

"Troublesome," Shikamaru commented from beside his father.

"Oi, Shikamaru!" Ino called as she heard him. "What is troublesome?"

"Hn," he replied before putting his dish at the sink. At four, he knew that if he didn't his mom would be mad. That's more troublesome than putting the dish away.

"Act like Sasuki!" Naruto pointed at him accusingly. The rest of the night went about just the same. Ino yelling at the boys like she was a mother, Shikamaru finding everything troublesome, and so on. Naruto seemed to find something in everyone that would be like how Sasuki acted in a way or another. At the end of the night, Ino even gave Hinata a hug before the two new Hyuugas were picked up.

* * *

"Kaa-san," Naruto called after waking up in the afternoon. The night before, he had been picked up by Minato and Kushina at the Nara residence. The clan children had gathered at the place to play but it seems wherever Naruto was, he picked up on the habits of the people living there. He had been sleeping when they came and they decided to let him sleep on. He slept on well into the next morning and in the afternoon.

"In the kitchen eating lunch, Naruto-kun," his mother almost sarcastically replied.

"Tell you something!" Naruto almost yelled enthusiastically as he bounded to the kitchen.

"You always do," Kushina said as he picked up the child and sat him on her lap.

"Today, no, yesterday," Naruto said as he shook his head. "New girl came to play!"

"Really?" Kushina asked. She had a guess on who it was but she decided to ask. "What was her name?"

"Hi... Hina... Hana...," Naruto thought deeply. "Hanara? No. Hinara?"

"Was it Hinata?"

"Yes! That her name," Naruto threw his hands up. "She blind I thought, but she see!"

"You thought she was blind?" Kushina laughed. It was almost like the first time she met Hiashi and Hizashi.

"Didn't mean to!" Naruto widened his eyes. "Her eyes white!"

"I know, I know," Kushina patted his blond head.

"You know?" Naruto tilted his head. Kushina nodded before telling him to eat a healthy lunch of stew and salad so that they could go visit his father and walk around Konoha.

Naruto pouted and said, "Eat ramen?"

"Okay, okay," Kushina gave in. She would say it was because Naruto was just too cute to say no to, but she also wanted ramen. "But just this once. It's not healthy. Go and get dressed."

Naruto did as he was told and wore blue shorts and a white shirt with the Whirlpool symbol. He was told of the legends of the extinct country and the Uzumaki clan and he was proud of it.

Together, the mother and son walked into the town, waving at every friend they meet.

"Ahh, Naruto-kun!" Teuchi greeted them as they walked into his store. "The usual Kushina-sama?"

"I told you, dattebane!" Kushina said as she helped Naruto sit on one of the chairs. "Just Kushina like before! And yes, the usual."

"The usual, dattebayo!" Naruto cheered.

"Taking up after your mother, Naruto-kun?" Teuchi asked as he went to work on their ramen. He noticed Naruto's new speech ticks. "That's good new. Kushina-sama is a great shinobi!"

"Ne, just Kushina," Kushina interjected. Teuchi set the first bowls of the pair and before long, they've already finished.

"No fair!" Naruto whined.

"It's the same amount, Naruto-kun. Isn't it?" Kushina directed the question to the cook. Teuchi merely smiled. The two showed up at least once a week in his shop. And everytime was the same. The same as when it was just the Yondaime Hokage-sama and his wife. The same as when it was just Minato and Kushina. Now, it was Naruto and his mother.

After a few more bowls of who-can-finish-it-faster, Teuchi wondered if most of the taxes he was paying was spent by the Hokage on food.

* * *

"Nii-san!" Sasuki yelled after her brother. Itachi had been training in the woods, and Sasuki knew exactly where. Sure enough, Itachi sat waiting for her on top of a rock.

"You never play with anymore!" Sasuki whined as she walked towards him.

He gestured for her to come near. Yet again, he poked her in the forehead. Sasuki rubbed the spot he hit. She hated how he always did that and how he looks so calm doing it.

"Why do you always do that?" she glared at him. Itachi stared at her. She only looked like a cute brat who can't get what she wants. And nothing like intimidating.

"Do what?" He humored the little girl. He stepped onto the grass and lay down.

"Poke me in the forehead," she said as she plopped down beside Itachi, her small arms crossed over her chest.

"It is... Pleasing to do so," he replied nonchalantly.

"It's not,"

"It is," he turned to face her, insistence shown on his face. Sasuki can be stubborn if she wanted to.

"Hn. No, it's not" she replied. "And if it's not to me, then it shouldn't be to you."

Itachi let out a sigh before thinking up a philosophy in life he could teach his little sister.

"Do you see that tree? The way its leaves are shaped?" he started.

"Hn," she squinted at the tree his brother was pointing to. "It's as average as any other."

"In your perspective, it might be," he replied, and motioned for his sister to lay her head down beside his.

"In my perspective, it is shaped very much a like our clan symbol," he added. Sure enough, as Sasuki stared longer at the tree, it formed the symbol. The leafy part seemed to be a perfect circle. The upper part made a crescent caving downwards with a different shade from the bottom. The trunk finished the look as it was almost perpendicular to the ground.

"Do you see what I see?" Itachi asked after a while. Sasuki merely nodded but he knew.

"Sometimes, we need to see from the eyes of another. It helps us understand, if only a little, what they are thinking, what they are going through," Itachi continued. "It might even explain their actions. When you grow up, Sasuki, this might help, even in life or death situations."

"Hmm?" Sasuki seemed a bit confused. Itachi immediately thought of a situation.

"Well, if for some reason, you come across someone who might seem like he enjoys killing people. It might be because of something that happened in his past. More often than not, these people would open up on it, they will think that they have the upper hand. You can talk to him about it, therefore stalling time. You can save up on chakra or wait until back ups come."

"What's this got to do with you poking me in the forehead?" she whined.

"If you understand people, it will get you in fewer fights, in less danger when it is not necessary."

Sasuki thought about it. "Did this happen to you?"

"No," Itachi answered. "So far, it has not."

"Then, how come you know about it?" Sasuki asked. Itachi gazed at him, eyebrows raised in the slightest. "Don't answer, I already know."

This garnered a small smile from Itachi. Sasuki was quick to pick up on things.

"Always remember what I have told you, Sasuki," he started getting up. "It will do you good. Now let's go back home. Kaa-san will be worried."

Sasuki reached up to Itachi, wanting to be carried home. Itachi gave her a smile, helped her up and knelt so she could ride on his back.

Itachi wished she would always stay like this. Yearning for things such as hugs and piggy back rides. But he knew that she'll grow out of it. Maybe even faster than average children because as far as he knew, she was nowhere near average.

"You know, I came looking for you because I wanted to tell you something," Sasuki suddenly remembered.

"Really? What is it?"

"A new girl with white eyes came to play yesterday," she said, stiffling a yawn.

"Interesting," Itachi listened to her. He was pleased that the Hyuuga had started to trust the others. It was a small thing to let their children play with the other clan children, but it was a start.

"And then, Ino started teaching her how to braid hair and telling me that I should start acting a girl,"

"She did? How come?"

"Hn. I don't really know. I don't know how I'm not acting like a girl," Sasuki's voice started getting more quiet.

"You should be yourself. You should not change yourself to please others. Especially not for your friends," Itachi said softly. "If they truly are your friends, they will accept you."

Sasuki only nodded. Itachi didn't talk further. He knew she understood.

The two went on their way home, halfway through which, the little girl fell asleep on his brother's back.

* * *

HELLO I'm sorry for the... absence of updates. But this one is more than the first two chapters combined :) I think I'll update in a week if I get the inspiration and from then on, I hope I can update once a week :) I own nothing but the plot. Please review, it gives me more inspiration to write more and faster :)


	4. Chapter 4

Updated early because I felt like it :) next update should be up in about the same time, five days give or take.

I dont own Naruto :(

* * *

As soon as Kushina opened the door to the Hokage's office, Naruto bounded towards his father, jumping and leaping all the while. Quick to think, Minato caught his child in midair.

"Tou-san!" Naruto yelled, his arms in the air as his father set him on his yellow hair. Kushina smiled at the sight, remembering another instance that was a replica of the moment.

When they were younger, Tsume used to put her pets on top of her head. Now thinking about it, it was a wonder she never dropped a dog. No matter how much she ran and leapt and tilted her head at Kushina. tilting her head at Kushina, that's what she always did, saying Kushina was weird. How ironic. Nonetheless, Tsume wasn't as bad as the others when Kushina first came to Konoha. She was, as always, a friend to everyone, if rather a bit too competent.

Looking at how Naruto looked on top of her husband's head, they could almost pass for members of the Inuzuka. Especially with her son's whiskers.

"Look at how your mother is staring at us," Minato whisper-yelled to his son. Showing his playful side to the only two people who knew about it. "She marvels too much at our good looks, huh?"

"Baka," Kushina replied, finally out of her daydreaming. "You look like Inuzukas, dattebane!"

"What Inuzuka?" Naruto's eyes grew small, almost slits. He wanted to scratch his head, but he might fall off if he let go of his father's hair. He scratched Minato's head instead.

"You know your friend, Kiba?" Minato asked. "He's an Inuzuka."

"Oh!" Naruto smiled widely. "Wait. How's he Inuzuka."

"Naruto-kun," Kushina walked closer to the two. "He was born to the Inuzuka. You, on the other hand, were born to the Uzumaki and the Namikaze."

"Don't get," Naruto tilted his blond head in confusion.

"Don't worry about it," Kushina waved her hand. "You'll understand when you're older. No need to know now, you're not Hokage, dattebane!"

"What's Hokage?" Naruto asked another question. Immediately, Kushina regretted mentioning the word.

"I'm the Hokage!" Minato proclaimed, saving Kushina from having to explain. He also "I'm the strongest ninja in this village!"

Naruto's face lit up. Minato had provided a simple, if too simple, explanation to the word. Naruto didn't need to further understand though. If his father is the Hokage and the Hokage is the strongest ninja, then its enough.

"I gonna be Hokage!" Naruto pumped his fist in the air, loosing hold on his father. Minato turned around and caught the little kid before he even fell down an inch.

"If you're gonna be Hokage, you should be more careful, dattebane!" Kushina scolded. She no longer panicked as this happened often and Minato would always catch her child. But it still made her heart stop for a second every time.

"I just know you're gonna be Hokage!" Minato said instead, pride sparkling in his eyes. He held Naruto at arm's length and began throwing him upwards. Naruto started giggling, having no worries that his father won't catch him.

"Be careful!" Kushina strode up closer to catch Naruto if ever Minato couldn't.

Minato glanced towards his wife, mischief visible in his ocean-like irises. He immediately sat Naruto down on the table and held Kushina like a princess, all in a second's time. He had done this a few times before, in memory of him saving his then-future wife, but Kushina was always taken by surprise. At the way he uses his speed, she could never predict what he would do next. Instead, she put her arms around his neck, just in case he decided to do something stupid.

Minato started twirling his wife around, dancing her in weird, awkward ways. They were both used to it. Naruto was used to it. The room was filled with laughter and happiness.

"Put me down, dattebane!" Kushina said between catching much-needed air. She ran out of oxygen from too much laughing./font /p p font"Only if you kiss me," Minato started pouting. Naruto scrunched up his face and closed his eyes tight like any normal kid would. But really, he has long decided that if he were to marry someday, he'd do the same.

Kushina kissed her husband in the cheek, receiving another pout from Minato.

"You didn't say where!" Kushina defended with a smile. "Now put me down!"

Minato obliged. Soon after, he kissed her in the forehead, claiming it was to be fair.

"I need to get back to work," Minato stated. Kushina started walking towards Naruto to pick him up.

"Don't you get tired of paper work, dattebane?" Kushina whined.

"I need to do it, nonetheless," Minato explained.

"See!" Kushina pointed out. "You'll get bored out of your mind, dattebane."

"Kushina," Minato sat on his chair again.

Kushina rolled her eyes and started walking towards the door. Minato valued the village very much and didn't complain from all the paperwork like other people would. But sometimes, Kushina wished he would take a break sometimes.

"Well, I can't leave all these work," he said as she put her hand on the doorknob.

As quickly as she said that, Kushina heard him say those oh-so-familiar seals and a poof.

"Fine. I'll leave one of myself with them," Minato gave up. He started following Kushina out the office.

* * *

'Practice on this,' Kaa-san said. She told me to pierce the leaf in two not using my hands, mouth, feet or any other thing. She told me to lie still and hold the leaf on my forehead. I don't know how to do all that. But Kaa-san told me it's for my training. And if I do it, I'm a step closer to Hokage! So I will do it, dattebayo!

"Minato," Kushina called later that night. Their little boy had been trying to do what she said all day. And he never even complained. In a day or so, Kushina suspected he would start. He's an Uzumaki with large reserves of chakra. He'll find controlling it into a tiny leaf very hard. "I started Naruto on chakra control, dattebane."

"Hmm?" Minato responded. He was probably very tired tonight. All those paperwork took a great deal of energy from him.

"I know he's not even four," Kushina explained. "But I kinda slipped when he asked what makes a Hokage strong. And then he's downright intent on training."

Minato smiled. He didn't even have that enthusiasm when he was that age.

"Don't worry," Kushina added after a few seconds of silence. "I wont take away the jobs of the academy, dattebane. I'll just teach him the sealings passed down to me from the Uzumaki."

She felt Minato nod. He's slowly falling asleep. She knew they could talk about this tomorrow when he's fully woken up. But Minato carried his consciousness in his dreams. She knew he'd somehow plan on what to do while he's asleep.

"You can teach him something of yours," Kushina said. "The jutsu you made up on your own. I know there isn't much from the Namikaze, dattebane."

Minato reached out and put his arms around her, inhaling deeply the scent of her hair. And then he fell asleep.

"Good morning, Kushina," Minato greeted from the kitchen. He was cooking a breakfast of eggs and bacon for Kushina. Naruto won't wake up for another couple of hours or so.

"Good morning," she replied with a smile. She rubbed her eyes, let out a yawn and sat on a chair.

"Guess what," Minato asked as he put a plate in front of his wife. "I know how to help train Naruto!"

"Really?" Kushina was suddenly fully awake. So he did think about it in his sleep.

"I'm busy being Hokage and all," Minato said as he went back to put an egg on Kushina's plate. "And Naruto is still very young. But we can write the jutsu we know on a scroll. Arranged by difficulty. He can learn them one at a time, at his own pace. If he knows he can take it slow and never lose the jutsu, he won't miss out on his childhood by choice,"

"Of course, we'll train with him sometimes. You especially, since you're still looking after him." he quickly added.

"Minato!" Kushina stood up and hugged her husband. "That's a great idea, dattebane!"

* * *

**End of Flashbacksss**

* * *

Itachi stood up and went inside the house. He walked towards the kitchen and poured himself a glass of water. Once he had drunk the last drops of the water, he poured himself another glass. He was thirsty.

He was parched.

And he was unaware of the commotion happening outside.

Naruto had been yelling loudly since the day had started for the toddlers. It was a natural occurence. It was nothing new and all the other children had developed ways to adapt to it.

Kiba had made it a point to scream as loud as Naruto. He realized that it garnered much attention and he should do it, too.

Shino and Shikamaru had found it 'troublesome' as the later had stated. They decided not dealing with it at all was the best thing to do. They both stay as far away from the obnoxious brat as possible.

Ino, Hinata and Neji, the two later being newcomers, had been staying inside the house, doing things girls do and looking after the heiress. When they did come in contact with Naruto, Neji would put himself between him and Hinata. Hinata would not talk and Neji would tell Naruto to lower his voice around the heiress. Naruto didn't understand though he didn't try to. He won't keep his voice down and that's that. Ino would then tell Naruto off, before strutting down with the Hyuugas to somewhere else.

Chouji is neutral about everything else. He's fine as long as he has his food.

This time however, Naruto wasn't just screaming random things.

"I gonna be Hokage, dattebayo!"

"Kaa-san train me!"

"Tou-san help me!"

"Tou-san Hokage! Me next!"

"I make National Ramen Day!"

And Sasuki was getting tired of it. Usually, Naruto would not yell the same thing twice. That's what made it less uninteresting. But now, those five phrases were the only things Naruto seemed to be capable of yelling.

Kiba had already gone home with her sister and so has almost everyone else.

Bored out of her mind, Sasuki suddenly thought up an idea.

"Naruto, think fast!"

She jumped into the air and held on to the little blond's back. She thought he would catch her the way her Nii-san did when she did that to him. Of course, she was wrong.

Naruto's small legs couldn't hold both of their body weights and he came crashing to the ground, taking Sasuki with him. Sasuki's head came first, her chin colliding with the solid ground. And then, the momentum she took running towards Naruto, made her fly over the little kid. Her side hit the ground and she couldn't stop herself from rolling over a few rocks. Instead, she used her tiny forearms and shielded her face from further injuries.

When her tiny body finally stopped moving, she was lying on her back. The cuts, scrapes and bruises had started to hurt and she could feel the blood oozing down from her chin and neck.

The worst was that she couldn't breathe properly.

The pain in her back was immense.

She started standing up, holding back the tears that were trying to fall. She winced as every move she made sent a new pain.

"If you can't even think fast and catch me," she tried her best glare at Naruto. "How can you become Hokage?"

With great effort, she scoffed and turned towards her house. She saw Itachi on the hallway to the kitchen and she stood still. She couldn't see well right after entering the darkness, but she knew Itachi could and he would be.

Itachi saw as Sasuki's lips started to quiver. He immediately ran towards her and scooped her into his arms. He didn't ask what happened yet but he saw the wounds. Sasuki held on to his brother and burrowed her face in the crane of his neck. Just before they reached Sasuki's room, he felt wet drops seep into his shirt.

* * *

"Ne," Naruto sat down beside Sasuki. It's been a few days since the accident and she still hasn't spoken to him. She didn't even come out of her room for the rest of that fateful day. And she didn't come on the last play day. The proud little girl has held her grudge for that long.

Unfortunately for Sasuki, both their mothers decided to go out together and bring their children along. It wouldn't have been too bad if Itachi was here. But the raven-haired boy was on a mission. So it was just Naruto, Sasuki and their mothers at a local barbeque restaurant.

"When you talk to me?" Naruto tried to face her, his blue eyes filled with regret and confusion. She turned away from Naruto and closed her eyes even to the window. "I say sorry, dattebayo!"

"Sasuki, Naruto-kun already said sorry," Mikoto told her daughter. She and Kushina had stopped talking for a while when they realized the one-sided conversation.

"It's okay, Sasuki-chan," Kushina said. "Everyone gets cuts and scrapes. They'll heal and they don't scar. You'll still be pretty, dattebane!"

Sasuki scoffed as she took a peek at the redhead. Namikaze-sama sure was naïve and loud. She now sees the resemblance between Naruto and the Hokage's wife.

Naruto was still blabbering about being sorry and being friends. The raven-haired little girl tuned out most of it but she still caught a few words. She was thinking of her first words to him for a few days when he said, "How I gonna be Hokage without best friend?"

Without thinking, Sasuki countered with a, "Hokages don't need best friends. If you can't do it, then I'll be the Hokage."

Holding her pride, she lifted her chin, stood up and strutted to the women's restroom.

A few minutes after she did, Ino came out of one of the bathroom stalls.

"Sasuki!" she called. The raven-haired girl glared at the annoying blonde. Blond people really were annoying, aren't they?

"Sasuki!" Ino screamed yet again. This time, it was from shock. "What happened to your chin?"

Right. Ino didn't see what happened and Sasuki didn't go to the last gathering.

"I fell," Sasuki answered as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Is that why you didn't come last time?" Ino's eyes widened even more. "Oh, don't answer that. I know I won't if my face looked like that!"

Sasuki twitched. She didn't go because she didn't want to see Naruto, not because she didn't want to be seen! Stupid Yamanaka!

"Can't answer, huh?" Ino walked towards her. "Don't worry, it should heal and it might not leave a scar."

Ino reached to touch the almost healed scrape on Sasuki's chin. The raven-haired girl pushed her hand away. Ino saw the action as nothing but provocative and disrespectful.

"Might," the blonde repeated. "If it doesn't, then that means you won't be a threat to me." She did her best to glare at Sasuki who was glaring back. Then, Ino turned on her heels and walked out of the bathroom.

Sasuki stayed for a while and looked at herself in the mirror. The wound on her chin was long but it was healing. Even with it, there was no doubt that she was prettier than Ino. The other girl might have nice blue-ish, green-ish eyes that she was so proud of, Sasuki will develop the sharingan and to her, nothing was more beautiful. While the blond hair was soft, it wasn't nearly as shiny as her jet black tresses.

"Hey Ino-baka!" she called after the girl. "I'm prettier than you!"

Ino turned around, her hands on her hips. "Really? Do you have proof?"

"I'll show you!" Sasuki stomped off towards Naruto. "Who do you think is prettier, Ino or me?"

Naruto, sulking just a while ago after Sasuki's sudden statement, was more confused than ever. Why would Sasuki ask that? She didn't even act like a girl most of the time and he certainly didn't see her that way before.

"Uhmm... You?" he asked more than answered.

"That doesn't count!" Ino exclaimed, pointing a finger at Sasuki. "He's an idiot!"

"Well, then let's just ask more people!" Sasuki countered. "If you'd like to hear more people choose me!"

Ino and Sasuki stared at each other, burning the other in their minds. If looks could kill, they'd both be dead. If Sasuki's sharingan has been activated, Ino would be dead ten times over.

Soon, the staring contest had ended and both had agreed to the challenge. As Sasuki thought it over, she realized how stupid that was, sinking down to Ino's level. Thinking about looks and appearances. Ino was really getting to her.

* * *

Sasuki is a girl, not even four-years of age. This is the time of her life when she depends on others more often than not. She is smart and independent in some ways, as she strives to be like her brother, but she's just a little over three years old.

Like most children, she will feel the lull of sleep more often in the day, and like most children, she will, at the best of her skills, try to stay awake. And like most children, she'll only last a few moments before going under. This might dull her personality but it doesn't mean she would be less impulsive.

At this stage, too, she will find comfort in the touch of those she love and trust. Most people experience this, especially those with siblings. However, as with most people, she'll outgrow, if not set aside, this sense of security. This would be like getting embarrassed whenever your mother kisses you in the forehead in front of your friends. It will still make her feel loved but she won't say that out loud, in fear of getting teased.

As with being a girl, Sasuki would be getting lots more of attention from her mother. She realizes this when she tries to imitate her brother and sees that he doesn't get the same attention. She then tries to stop doing as much of whatever bonding time incorporated with it is with her mother. Being part of the head family will also add up to this. She will get more attention and will probably have more praises for her beauty in her everyday life than most average clan members. She'll ignore the comments as with the beautification time with her mother, but she'll still appreciate them. Dealing with another head family daughter who gets as much attention would spark a competition. As out of character it may sound, it's what female instinct is. Prove dominance over others.

This is what might have happened had she been born a girl. She'll get into character in her later years but right now, she has a family, a mother who appreciates having a girl, a brother whose protective instincts are more sharpened due to the fact that it's a princess he needs to protect.

Naruto on the other hand, having parents will not as much be a prankster. He gets attention, more so because he's the son of the Hokage, what more does he want? On another take, he's less impulsive and more curious. He has parents who will answer his questions and village people who will watch his every move. One mistake and its his father who is questioned. He will still be unpredictable and quite stupid but a lot would have changed had his parents lived.


	5. Chapter 5

I don't own anything.

* * *

It all happened so fast. Just a few days ago, the couple came to the house, bringing the bright-haired little boy.

Itachi remembered how he opened the door to reveal the Hokage and his wife. Naruto just ran inside without greeting him. It was fine and expected, their home was his second. Itachi safely assumed the blond went to Sasuki's room. He shook his head at what they would be doing later.

Ever since that little feud of theirs of becoming Hokage and Kushina starting Naruto on the Uzumaki's sealing jutsu, Sasuki had even more perseverance to prove herself. Fugaku was pleased at her will and he began teaching her their own clan's jutsu. Their father didn't expect much from her, knowing that she's younger than Itachi was when he bean training and that she was a girl.

Still, at barely four years old, she showed more than average potential. In the two years Sasuki and Naruto had started training, both had mastered a few of their clans' jutsu. Itachi even heard rumors of Minato teaching his kid his own jutsu.

Their own definition of play time? Sparring. This of course resulted in multiple casualties and furniture destruction. The least dangerous they ever did was for Naruto to tie Sasuki on a tree branch with his chakra threads. They say that they're rivals. That may be. But in actuality, they were the best of friends, everyone could see that. Even a blind man could.

Itachi remembered how Mikoto reprimanded Sasuki for only sparring with Naruto all the time. The other kids felt disregarded. This and Mikoto was worried that one day they would wreck the house. In the end, Sasuki was told to play with the other kids, too.

Of course, being herself, Sasuki would brush away her mother's orders most of the time.

Sasuki. She likes to act tough. Putting up a tomboy-ish front. Something that would distinguish her from the girly spirits of Ino.

Itachi almost wanted to laugh at the time Sasuki was almost four. She had a short competition with Ino of who was prettier. Going around and asking people who they thought was more attractive. Her fourth birthday party, Sasuki even asked their mother to dress her up. A fancy kimono and elaborate hair do. She even had make-up on. Something she was absolutely not going to be caught dead in nowadays. She still kept her hair long though. But at least she didn't care so much for looks now.

_Thank Kami, she outgrew that,_ Itachi thought. Sure, she was beautiful and that's something to be proud of. But not in the way that she would compete in beauty contests. She was almost going towards the path of those girls who used to fawn around him. He would choose death over that.

Sasuki today, however, Itachi didn't know what to feel about her. Sure, he loved her and would protect her from anything in the world. But he also knew she would grow to be strong and skillful, in the way she's acting now. She was growing up to be her person, straying away from imitating him. She almost didn't spend as much time as she used to with him anymore.

It seemed like she didn't really need his older brother as he hoped she would.

In fact, Sasuki seemed even more capable of being the one who is 'there.' Just 'there' for Naruto. For when the blond kid needed a friend most.

Right now, she was.

She was the only thing that Naruto even let come close to his father and mother's bodies. Let alone hold one of the few things the pair had left behind.

"What's gonna happen now?" Naruto asked between sniffles.

"I don't know," Sasuki gave out a sigh. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Naruto rubbed his eyes. Sasuki noticed that he hasn't used 'dattebayo' in the last few sentences. He has never forgotten to use it in at least every three sentences before. He had improved in grammar, too, but he never did get rid of the tick. Sasuki hoped he didn't now.

It irritated her but it also made up who Naruto was. If Naruto stopped using it, then it just won't be the same.

"Well," Sasuki started. She had to start cheering her friend up. "The village needs a new Hokage now. So you have to start training real hard,"

"And you have to cherish everything your parents told you. Take care of everything they left behind. The village, the people, this baby."

Naruto realized what Sasuki was saying and he nodded at her, determination shown on his now stormy blue eyes. Sasuki let out a small smile and another sigh. Naruto glanced at where his parents now lay and felt another string of warm tears run down his cheeks. He buried his face on Sasuki's small shoulders. Sasuki tensed up for a second before relaxing again. She brushed her hand against the soft skin of the newborn in her lap and asked herself the question Naruto asked.

_What's gonna happen now?_

Together, the two six-year olds huddled together in front of the wooden boxes that now housed Naruto's parents. Blond hair leaning on the shoulders of a girl with cascading black tresses. On their laps, an unaware newborn slept soundly. The tuft of red hair serving as a memento of the Yondaime's wife.

* * *

So, Minato and Kushina died. :( I decided that I should go on with the story plot now. Anyway they left Naruto a sibling. I saw how the last chapter got over 200 visitors and 700 views but only one review. That made me sad. :(

I had typed this before I posted the last chapter and so far, no other idea has come across my mind after seeing that only one reviewed my work. Was it that bad? :(

Should I stop this and get on with my life... Please tell me something. Anything.

Me being overly depressed. One of the reasons my sister tells me I'm a lot like Hashirama. :/ Anyway, I should consider this complete... maybe? I don't know. I've got a lot planned up but I don't know if they'll work.

**_PLEASE REVIEW~_**


	6. Chapter 6

I don't own anything~

* * *

Not a day later, the clan heads had gathered in the Hokage tower.

"Sandaime-sama," Nara Shikaku opened. "Have you chosen the next Hokage?"

"Shikaku," Hiruzen started. "That is not what this meeting about is. That will be discussed on a later date."

Everyone in the room were confused though most did not show it.

"But in these times, we need a Hokage," Inuzuka Tsume stated.

"Then, I will be more than happy to serve as a Hokage just for old times sake, for a while," he answered. "It has been one of my mistakes to retire and choose my successor at a time when the village just pushed through a war,"

"And to choose a very young Hokage, too." Hiruzen started thinking back on his past. "I will look to establishing security in our village before I choose the next Hokage."

"That seems like a logical choice," Shikaku nodded.

"What is this about, then, Sandaime-sama?" Hyuuga Hiashi asked.

"The Kyuubi, as you all know, had been defeated," the former Hokage started. "But you are all wrong."

More of the people inside the room gave off a confused look.

"A creature of pure chakra cannot be killed. Instead, Minato had sealed it in a child. His child."

"Who-," Tsume started interrupting.

"Do not interrupt, young Inuzuka," Hiruzen interrupted her.

"Minato's last order as Hokage, as told to Uchiha Itachi, and written in a scroll," the Sandaime continued. "Was for a certain clan to take in both of his children and raise them."

"Whose-" Akimichi Chouza tried this time.

"Ssh, young Akimichi," Hiruzen scolded him like he was a child. It was ironic. It was almost like the old times.

"As I was saying," the former Hokage started again. "The Namikaze children are now to live with the Uchiha."

* * *

After everyone had left, Hiruzen sat in his chair and stared at the portraits of the former Hokage. Particularly, Minato.

_'How things would have been if Kushina wasn't stubborn enough to push through with giving birth at the right time_,' he though bitterly.

But he knew he couldn't really blame the fiery redhead.

After seeing her first born stopping his breathing, so close to death, Kushina was so intent on not having her next child go through the same danger. It could have worked.

But no one could really predict the tragedy that was bound to happen. Especially a tragedy that could have put every other tragedy to shame.

Really, who would think someone would be evil enough to summon the tailed-beast when its jinchuuriki was going through enough pain? And to threaten to kill an innocent newborn child? To try and invoke utter destruction in a currently peaceful village?

_'I'm sorry, Minato.'_

* * *

Later that day, Fugaku rushed back to the Uchiha compound. Their area was one of the most devastated as one of the Tailed-Beast's bombs hit it. They also had numerable casualties.

If he had been here when the incident happened, Fugaku knew he could have prevented the loss of lives. But it just had to happen on the day both she and Mikoto were on week-long missions.

There was nothing to be done now except to rebuild the compound for the remaining Uchiha. It's going to be a long process but it has happened before and they got through. They'll get through again. They even had more help now. A few of the members of other clans had volunteered in helping rebuild the compound.

Fugaku quickly searched for his son. He needed explanations of what had happened. And he needed it now.

"Itachi," he said as he found his eleven-year old helping out in searching for things that could still be used.

"Otou-san," Itachi greeted his father.

"Come," Fugaku said as he led Itachi to where a park was once situated.

"What had exactly happened last night?" Fugaku asked as he decided to head straight to the point.

_'What exactly happened last night?' _Itachi thought as he flashed back to the events of the attack of the Kyuubi.

* * *

"Mikoto! Fugaku!" Minato knocked hastily on the Uchihas' door. His left hand kept on rapping on the wood, while supporting Kushina's legs. His other arm supported Kushina's back. It was an awkward position but right now, it didn't matter.

"Hokage-sama," Itachi opened the door.

"Itachi-kun," Minato scanned behind the boy, desperately searching for Naruto.

"N-Naruto?" Kushina turned her head towards Itachi.

"I'll go get him," Itachi replied immediately before coming back with a startled Naruto in his arms and a sleepy Sasuki hanging on his back.

"Naruto," Kushina held Naruto's face close to hers. How she wanted to hug him tightly.

"Where are your parents?" Minato asked Itachi as the boy stepped away to let the pair in.

"They're away," Itachi answered as Minato lay the bloody Kushina on their couch. He desperately wanted to ask what had happened but he sensed that he shouldn't.

"Please take care of her for me for a while," Minato quickly said before disappearing. He came back just as quickly, this time with a newborn.

"Please take care of them," Minato added with only a few seconds pause after the last. He handed the baby to his wife. And again, he was gone.

"Kaa-san," Naruto went to his mother. He was confused and he didn't know what to do. Tears started pouring onto his cheeks.

"Naruto-kun," Kushina started crying, too, patting the blond's head with one hand while the other held the newborn. "This is your new sibling."

"Kaa-san," Naruto looked at the newborn before glancing back at his mother. He laid his head on her neck. He didn't know what was happening but he knew something was wrong. He turned to look at Itachi, he might know. But the older boy had left Sasuki beside Naruto and was already outside the door. Naruto could see red gleaming from the boy's usually black eyes.

"Naruto," his attention snapped towards her mother. "Promise me,"

"Promise me that you'll take care of the both of you. Promise me that you'll love each other. And your Tou-san, too."

"Where are you going?" Naruto asked between sobs. "You take care of us!"

"I can't Naruto-kun," Kushina's tears streamed down faster. "You have to do it for me."

"Kaa-san,"

"And you have to eat your vegetables even without me looking. You can't eat ramen every day. Just once a week from now on, okay? Your sibling will do what you'll do so you have to be good. You also have to teach your sibling what I've taught you," Kushina rambled on. "You'll be going to the academy next year so you have to do your assignments. Your Tou-san will be busy but he'll help you. Then when your sibling goes to school, too, you'll have to help, too."

Naruto kept crying. Why was his mother saying all of these?

"You also have to take a bath everyday without me telling you. And change your clothes! And don't spend more money than you need. You have to be wise. And alcohol, too. No alcohol till you're of age. And not too much by then. Tell your father that, too. The same goes with the girls. You have to keep yourselves from becoming like Jiraiya-sensei, okay?"

Naruto managed to laugh before remembering what was happening. "Kaa-san, stay."

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I can't. But remember that I'll always love you. Both of you and your Tou-san. Tell him that. Tell yourselves that. I love you." Kushina leaned down and kissed Naruto on the forehead.

Suddenly, Minato and Itachi both reappeared in the room, one after the other.

"Kushina," Minato started taking Kushina from the couch. She held the newborn tightly as Naruto tried to cling to his mother. "We need to get you away from here."

"Come, Sasuki," Itachi took her sister and carried her on his back. He looked at the family and offered to take Naruto with him.

"Itachi," Minato started. "Can you make it to the evacuation shelter and back to help?"

"At this rate, no, sir," Itachi answered.

"Then follow me to the mountains," Minato ordered the young ANBU, before making a hand seal and teleporting away. Itachi used the Body Flicker as fast as he could to keep up with the Yondaime and to escape the giant ball of concentrated chakra the Kyuubi had just fired towards the clan compound.

When he arrived at the mountain, Minato had set down Kushina on the ground, the baby in a small bed and Kyuubi was already in chains. The masked man Itachi saw the Yondaime fight a while ago was already gone. Itachi marvelled at what Minato had been able to carry out in the little time it took Itachi to get there.

"Minato," Kushina called. "Seal the Kyuubi in me again."

"It won't work, Kushina," Minato told her as he started creating a barrier enclosing them. Itachi quickly went towards Kushina. Naruto leapt out of his arms and hugged his mother. "You barely have enough chakra to keep him from breaking free and we don't know when he'll come back."

"Then, why our newborn baby?" Kushina cried. "And why do you have to leave them, too?"

Instantly, Itachi knew what was happening.

"Seal it in me," he volunteered as he put down Sasuki.

"I can't do that, Itachi," Minato answered. "Your parents would not approve."

"I can decide on my own,"

"You are still a minor,"

Itachi knew that he could not argue with that. Besides, he had an incurable illness and who knew how long he would live? The Jinchuuriki should be as healthy as possible to erase any risk of the Tailed Beast escaping suddenly.

"Kushina," Minato started. "I know our child will do well with being a Jinchuuriki. And I'll seal our chakra in, too. We'll be able to help when the time comes. And the masked man, there is no doubt that he means to come back. The village needs to be ready when that happens and I have full faith in our child."

"Our baby doesn't even know what's happening yet," Kushina held the newborn tighter. For a while, everything was quiet. The unconditional love of a mother filling the air.

"Kaa-san," Naruto looked up at her mother. "I know what's happening."

"N-Naruto," Kushina hugged Naruto as well.

"Tou-san, seal it in me instead," the blond kid stopped crying long enough to tell his father.

Minato looked at his child. Naruto knew of the Kyuubi sealed in her mother and things related to that. Naruto even knew the consequences of some Jinchuuriki in the countries Konoha was allied with.

"I know," Naruto looked up at him and nodded. Minato saw the determination in his little boy's teary eyes. Naruto has grown a lot and he was so proud of him.

"Are you sure, Naruto?"

"Hai," Naruto stood up and wiped his tears. "I'll do it to protect the village and to protect the people I love."

The little blond kid quickly took his baby sibling from the bed and handed her to his mother. Then, he lay down.

Every thing else happened so fast. Itachi and Sasuki could only watch as the Kyuubi tried to strike Naruto. Kushina quickly lay the baby down next to Naruto as she and Minato tried to stop the Kyuubi's attack, getting fatally wounded. Itachi, then took the baby and Sasuki to get as far away as possible from the fox inside the barrier.

Soon, the Kyuubi had been sealed whole into Naruto. The Sandaime and a few others had gathered outside and watched the scene helplessly. Itachi went towards the family and Kushina took the baby from him. The Hokage and his wife said their last good-byes to their children and as life was draining away from both, Minato wrote on a scroll.

"Itachi," Minato started. "My last orders as Hokage would be for the Uchiha main family to raise my children. It would be a token to show the trust I have in your clan. And Naruto will be treated as the hero he is, choosing by himself to let the Kyuubi be sealed in him."

Itachi nodded.

"If anyone doubts you, there will be a signed document inside this toad," Minato said as a small toad showed beside him and swallowed the scroll. Then, Itachi set to the sides as the family of four in front of him hugged and kissed for the last time.

As Minato started another sealing technique, the barrier around them started to fade. And soon, it was gone along with the life of the Yondaime and his wife.

Itachi and Sasuki were left with a sleeping newborn and a crying Naruto before the Sandaime came.

* * *

After hearing out Itachi's account of the incident, Fugaku took it upon himself to start accepting the children. He left Itachi to the chores he had been doing and went to find his other child.

He knew Sasuki would be with Naruto. And Naruto hadn't left his sibling for one minute since last night.

Fugaku recalled how he was greeted by the sights of destruction in Konoha and the forrest that surrounded it. As soon as he entered the village gates, he was told to head straight into the hospital where his son and daughter were.

"Did something happen to them?" Fugaku asked, unknowingly showing his sharingan because of his worrying.

"No, Uchiha-sama," the ANBU answered, his voice faltering. The Uchiha realized why the man was shaking and immediately deactivated his sharingan. "They're perfectly fine. Your son is very capable."

"Has Mikoto arrived yet?" he asked once he regained his composure.

"Yes, she is in the hospital with the others."

Fugaku shunshined straight towards the hospital, which was relatively unscathed. There, he was led towards where his family were.

"Fugaku," Mikoto immediately hugged him, not bothering to show any formality. After what had happened, why should she? Their children could have been the ones being readied to be buried.

Fugaku hugged her back shortly before pulling away. He walked towards his children who were around a familiar body with blond hair.

"Are any of you hurt?" he asked, concern rarely shown, clear in his voice.

"Tou-san," Sasuki immediately reached up to him. He picked her up in his arms and as he did, the view of Minato's son cleared before him.

Naruto was asleep, but for the first time he'd seen, the boy's face was contorted in a painful expression. He shifted in his sleep and hugged a little bundle closer to him. Fugaku saw it to be a redheaded baby.

"Tou-san," Itachi soon stood up and hugged his father. Something he rarely did nowadays. Something really must have happened if his son had started to hug him again, his wife started to lose her formality, and Naruto started to have nightmares. And what was with the baby?

'Naruto. He sacrificed a lot. He's just like his father,' Fugaku thought of the boy who was always smiling and spreading the happiness. Fugaku, despite his indifferent stance, felt the difference in a room's aura when Naruto was in their home.

Soon, Fugaku caught sight of the familiar pair of raven and blond hair. They were in the less ruined area of the compound. In a grassy patch of land reserved for when the clan needed more housing.

"Sasuki," he called out.

Sasuki immediately turned to face her father. Naruto did the same but instinctively held his sibling closer.

Fugaku saw the action and proceeded to walk towards them more cautiously. From the story he'd heard from Itachi, Naruto had gone through a lot. He even sacrificed being the jinchuuriki in his newborn sibling's stead. He deserved to be the hero Minato wanted the villagers treat to him.

Once he reached them and Naruto seemed a bit more relaxed, he said:

"Sasuki, how would you like to have Naruto and the baby live with us?"

* * *

Months after the attack, Konoha was almost just like before. The people it has lost were irreplaceable but the people who were left knew that they died heroes. The destructed properties were rebuilt. The injured were treated. And everything went on as it did before.

Almost everything.

To a certain young blond boy, everything has changed.

His parents are gone. He had a new sibling he had to care for. He had a monster inside him. And he was living in a new home with a new family.

Namikaze Naruto's whole life has changed.

If it had been someone else in his place, that someone would have given up long ago. But Naruto is not just someone. And he would never give up.

Especially when he knew he had somebody who would always be there for him. His new family was there for him.

For the next few moments of his new life, the Uchiha played very important roles. Sasuki remained as his best friend and a rival. Now, she was also his roommate and sister.

Mikoto acted as his mother, scolding him when he needed it and praising him when he deserved it. She was unlike Kushina in many ways. She wasn't as loud and wasn't as fun. But she was as caring as the redheaded woman.

Fugaku. He never compared to Minato. He rarely spoke but Naruto felt his concern.

Itachi became his older brother. He helped him train and taught him things he didn't know. He was the one Naruto came to when he had nightmares.

Sasuki, even though she was just a few steps away since they shared a bedroom, would just tell him to go back to sleep. Fugaku would always lock the door behind him when he came home so Naruto never knew what they would say. Naruto couldn't really go to his sibling's room and sleep beside him in the crib.

Itachi always heard his nightmares out when Naruto felt like talking. And then, he'd warm him some milk and let him sleep beside him if the nightmares turn out to be very bad.

And the nightmares almost always were very bad.

Naruto thought nothing could be worse. There always is worse.

* * *

So. What do you think? I have the next chapter written and I almost added it here to make this chapter 5k words long. But then I thought it wouldn't be very humane to have two traumatizing events next to each other. So I'm gonna actually write out next chapter and make it less eventful and focus on the changes and relations in Naruto's life... What do you think?

**PLEASE REVIEW :)**


	7. Chapter 7

It was another Friday and as the weekend came up and another lesson on the History of the Leaf was finished, Iruka gave the newest batch of students a written examination.

Tap, tap, tap.

Iruka looked towards the source of the silent noise, ready to scold if he found out that it was a secret code for cheating.

Tap, tap, tap.

It came from the far upper part of the room and there, a blond little boy was reaching and playfully tapping his left hand on the outstretched, palm-facing-upwards, right hand of his seatmate. He was obviously having difficulties with his quiz as his brows were furrowed in concentration.

The right hand he was making contact with belonged to a raven-haired little girl. She didn't seem to mind the noise and touch as she wrote on her test paper with her other hand.

Iruka sighed. The two have been doing this for the past few weeks every time they had a test or seat work or even just a discussion in class. It seems that it has become a habit.

'Naruto,' Iruka remembered that one time when he reprimanded them before an exam. 'Exchange seats with him,' he continued, pointing at another boy sitting up front.

That time, both Sasuki and Naruto got the a point or two less than their usual scores. Not that the two ever got failing marks. They were actually both on the top ten percent of the class with their current standings.

But it seems the action of Naruto tapping Sasuki's hand lightly gave them both a sense of relaxation rather than a form of cheating.

It didn't help Iruka, that the two children looked really adorable doing what they were doing.

At that exact moment, Naruto chuckled out a 'Yes,' as he seems to have figured out the answer to an item. Sasuki glanced at him and let out what could only be described as a small, subtle smile.

Iruka let his own smile grace his face as he diverted his attention back on the lesson plan for next week.

Later that day, Naruto reached for Sasuki's hand again. This time, it was something Mikoto told them to do.

"Sasuki, Naruto," the woman said after picking them up one day. It had been their last class for their first week at the academy. "From now on, you will have to go home by yourselves,"

"I want you to hold hands. Like the way I hold both your hands when I pick you up. This way, you don't lose each other on the way home, okay?"

Sasuki knew that her mother didn't mean anything else by that but she couldn't help feeling a bit awkward.

Naruto was her friend but unlike all the other seven-year olds who only thought of it as a way to not get lost, Sasuki already knew a bit of older people holding hands because of certain feelings.

Sasuki told herself that they were young and that meant that holding hands didn't mean the same thing if they were older. Besides, she didn't like Naruto in 'that' way.

She let Naruto hold her hand and did her best to ignore it as always.

"So, did you get all the questions in the test?" Sasuki asked.

"Yeah," Naruto held his other hand up and made a thumbs up. "I studied hard like Kaa-san always tells me to, dattebayo!"

It was both sad and joyful to see Naruto happy after what had just happened not too long ago. How he could mention his parents and their pasts with such euphoria, Sasuki didn't know.

"Did you get everything?" Naruto returned the question to her.

"Yes," Sasuki answered and let out a smirk. "And I didn't study at all."

"Boo," Naruto stuck out his tongue. "Someday, you're gonna need to study for something and you can't because you don't know how. That's the day when I'll be better than you!"

"Wait until that day, then," Sasuki said and turned her head dismissively away. She didn't release her hand from Naruto's grasp, though. And Naruto didn't let go either.

"It's real soon, dattebayo!" Naruto turned his own head away.

"Hn," Sasuki grunted in response as another smirk formed on her face.

They continued walking on towards the Uchiha compound. Naruto saying and asking random things and Sasuki answering some like they were very obvious and the others with very random things as well.

"Ne," Naruto started on one of his question, tugging on Sasuki's hand. "Why do you think the clouds turn pink at sunset?" he said while looking straight ahead and sure enough, they sun was setting, sending warm, mellow colors throughout the sky.

"It's because they're blushing," Sasuki answered without much thought as she stared straight into the sunset. It felt right saying that they were blushing. It certainly looked like it.

"Why would they be blushing, dattebayo?" Naruto asked.

"Because I'm walking," Sasuki told him, making no sense at all and perfect sense at the same time.

"If it was Itachi-nii I asked," Naruto stated grumpily. "He would answer correctly."

'And it wouldn't be half as much fun,' Sasuki though as she grunted.

Unknown to both, this would be the last time they would ever joke around for a very long time.

Before the two even reached the gates to the compound, they were met by Itachi.

"Sasuki, Naruto," Itachi gestured for them to follow him shortly after appearing before them. "I'll treat you to ramen?"

His face was void of any emotion and it was unsettling to both seven-year olds. They only usually saw this when he came back from another more dangerous ANBU mission.

Unknown to the two, what he had just learnt was worse than any of the missions he came back from.

* * *

Flashback~

* * *

"Itachi," Shisui showed himself. He had told Itachi to meet him by this river days ago and as expected here they were.

"Shisui," Itachi replied. Shisui was tense. And Itachi knew why. "What did they say?"

"I was ordered to kill the whole clan,"

"What did you say?"

"As you have told me to, I did not reveal my mangekyo,"

Itachi released the breathe he didn't know he was holding.

Shisui had just acquired the rarer, evolved version of the sharingan lately. He would be in grave danger if someone found out about it. Especially the Sandaime Hokage's councilors. There was just something off about those three. Itachi could feel it.

"What did you say?" Itachi repeated. His friend had not answered the question yet.

"I tried to refuse," Shisui looked down. "Danzo threatened me."

Itachi knew that was coming.

"Itachi," Shisui broke the sudden silence. "On the night I carry out my mission, exactly seven days from now, right before the planned coup d'état, I want you to leave Konoha."

"Shisui," Itachi was puzzled. If anyone knew that he valued the village more than his life, it would have to be his only friend. Why would Shisui tell him to abandon it?

"They do not care for how much you care for our village," Shisui answered. "To them, you are an Uchiha who will revolt if not taken down."

Itachi looked at him. He wanted to tell Shisui that he would rather die than leave. But he also felt conflicted.

Itachi wanted nothing more than for his sister, Sasuki and Naruto and the baby to grow up and grow strong and be happy. They were so innocent and clueless.

"Itachi, you could take your sister. You could take the Uzumaki children. Give them lives that Konoha never could."

Itachi was loyal to the village. But he also knew that Shisui spoke the truth about that. At best, the seven-year olds would be left to fend for their own and the baby would be put up for adoption.

"What about everybody else?" Itachi asked. "Kaa-san, she didn't want to partake in the coup. The innocent children."

"Itachi, she had her chances. And if those innocent children now, they would grow up and revolt from the village who killed their parents off. Sasuki, she would listen to you."

"What about you?"

"My whole life from now on is a big mission. I will become a missing-nin but I will be a spy for Jiraiya of the Sannin, for Konoha."

Itachi thought about everything. He knew something like this would happen. He was just frustrated that he couldn't stop it from happening.

Itachi nodded at his friend, knowing that this was the best they could do. Shisui nodded back and shunshined away.

Itachi stayed for a little while more. He let everything sink in.

Seven days.

He just had to make the most out of the remaining seven days that he could live as he always had.

* * *

End of Flashback~

* * *

"Sasuki," Itachi suddenly held the little girl by the back of her collar, keeping her from running ahead into the house. "Greet Kaa-san properly."

"Itachi-kun," Mikoto smiled at her son. "You can let her be."

"Go on, Sasuki,"

Sasuki grunted before bowing to her mother. Mikoto then opened her arms and the little girl hugged her.

"You, too, Naruto," Itachi ruffled the blond hair on the boy's head.

After both of the seven-year olds were done with hugging Mikoto, Itachi did the same.

He held on for a second too long. Or so Sasuki thought.

'Why the sudden formalities?'

To Itachi, he wished he could have stayed this way forever. He wished he never grew up and that Mikoto would always hug him tight. He wished they hadn't planned a coup d'état. He wished Konoha wouldn't have to extinguish them all. He wished they weren't born Uchiha.

"Itachi?" Mikoto questioned.

"There was a family in my last mission," Itachi quickly thought of an excuse. "The enemy got to them before we could. The child is an orphan now."

"Well, that's a sad thing to hear about," Mikoto said. "I'm sorry, Itachi."

"It is fine now," Itachi replied before releasing his hold on Mikoto. "The child was taken in."

With that, he left the room and locked himself up in his own room to try and prepare himself mentally.

* * *

The next few days passed by too quickly in Itachi's perspective. It was almost like he was caught in a whirlwind that was threatening to take away everything from him with every turn. He was not yet ready. He had not said what he wanted to say to his mother, to his father, to everyone.

Perhaps its all just fate deciding to make a laugh out of him. For being so involved, so knowing, and so loyal to his village more than his family. For choosing water over his own blood.

Seven days after his meeting with Shisui, the dreaded event happened. Shisui once again showed himself to Itachi early morning and told him to leave before nightfall and not come back. At least until the next daybreak. Itachi took Sasuki, Naruto and the baby into town just before dusk, claiming that he wanted to treat them outside. No one questioned this after all his unusual actions for the past few days.

"Come back home soon, Itachi," Mikoto said before they left. It almost broke Itachi's heart knowing that his mother wouldn't be there to welcome him home if he did come back. Not that he would even have a home to go back to.

Hours after leaving, Itachi had to restrain himself from rushing back to the compound to save his clan. He had to try his hardest not to break down as he walked slowly around the village. He bore the guilt of knowing what was about to happen and not going there to stop it.

"How about you stay at Hatake-san's tonight?" Itachi said as the conversation between the Sasuki and Naruto died down. It was obvious that they were starting to get tired. The stars have been up for three hours.

"Yeah," Naruto replied while yawning. "We haven't seen him in a while, dattebayo!"

"Then, it is settled," Itachi repressed his sigh. He took a look at the sleeping baby in his arms and thought of how much has been happening since the Yondaime had died. "I will bring you there. I'm sure he will be more than pleasured to have you as his guests for tonight."

"What about Kaa-san?" Sasuki asked. She never missed a detail and it hurt Itachi to lie to her.

"Do not worry about it," he started. "I will tell her."

Itachi brought the children to his ANBU captain's house and as expected they were welcomed in and as soon as Itachi turned his back on the door, the children fell asleep. Itachi told them that he'd tell Mikoto but he knew in his heart that even if he did try, she would never hear him.

Itachi leaped from roof to roof until he was near enough to see the outskirts of his home but far enough so as to not hear any cry of pain if anyone was even able to scream out before their unexpected death.

* * *

Ok... so that was a sad chapter... :((( idk mahn. anyway, this chapter was short because... well because it is. im sorry :((

so i was invited to attend a journalism workshop in my school today and i just hate writing sports news. and also i was told that i was a part of our school newspaper. that was how eventful my today was. i just wanted to share. :3

**please please please review! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

"Shisui," Itachi regarded the older ANBU. Shisui soon found his way to the rooftop where Itachi stayed. "How do you suppose Sasuki, Naruto, the baby and I leave Konoha?"

When Shisui didn't answer, Itachi spoke again.

"We cannot just leave, you know that. They would just come after us and bring us back. Probably put us in prison for escaping without permission."

"I'm sorry Itachi," Shisui reprimanded himself for not having thought of that. But really, Itachi was the brighter one.

"I have brought the children to Hatake-san for the night," Itachi said, deep in thought. "Perhaps..."

* * *

Time Skip :3

* * *

"Nii-san," Sasuki started. They have been running from Konoha for three days now. But why run from their own village?

"We have just started running for the day, Sasuki," Itachi said sternly. This was never a good sign before, but for the past three days, it's been a usual occurence. "Do not tell me that you are exhausted."

"I'm not," Sasuki bit her lip. She was lying.

Yes, they had just started running for this day. But how many hours of sleep did they really get last night? What time did they last eat? She was sure they didn't eat breakfast.

"Ne, Itachi-nii," Naruto broke the silence that followed after neither Itachi nor Sasuki said anything. "I think... Where are we really going, dattebayo?"

"I have told you," Itachi looked back at Naruto. "We are getting as far away as possible from Konoha."

It usually was a bit hard explaining things to the blond kid. But this time was a lot more difficult.

Naruto just was so intent on believing that Konoha meant them no harm and that the village actually needed their protection. That they need their future Hokage.

Itachi thought that perhaps this situation had been hardest on Naruto. He had been so intent on protecting the village that his parents had entrusted to him. He has tried getting everyone to turn back and return to the village several times. But with Sasuki and the baby fully under Itachi's guide, Naruto knew it was useless. And he couldn't really go back on his own. If the others didn't come, what family could he return to in the village?

"But why?" Naruto asked the very question Itachi has hated for the past days.

In his arms, the redheaded baby starter to whimper. This baby was truly more vocal than Sasuki had been.

Itachi sighed.

They were a good way off the village. Good enough for a young teenager caring for a baby and two children.

Maybe they could stop for a while. Just long enough for Itachi to explain what has happened.

Itachi stopped running and motioned for the seven-year olds to do the same.

As soon as they were settled, Itachi began his story with a question.

"Naruto, have any of the villagers treated you any differently after the Kyuubi attack?"

"Uhmm... No," Naruto answered after much thought. He realized now just how lucky he was. He knew about what the other jinchuuriki experienced in other lands.

"Do you know why that is?" Itachi followed up with another question. He had retrieved a bottle from a scroll and had started feeding the now whining baby formula milk.

The bottle had an Uchiha clan symbol drawn with red and black marker. He remembered that time. Sasuki and Naruto decided that the clear bottles were too simple. Mikoto let them decorate it.

Mikoto. Itachi sighed, missing his mother. After running for three days and having no real rest in between because he was watching over the sleeping children, he didn't really have time to mourn.

He wondered if Sasuki did. He knew Sasuki still didn't believe it but what she was thinking, Itachi couldn't really imagine. Right now, she was slowly munching on a tomato. Something the little girl and their mother preferred as snack.

Itachi knew that tomatoes were believed to make the skin fairer. His mother told him that. He wondered if Sasuki knew it as well and if that was the reason she was eating it.

"No," Naruto answered after a while.

"You see, Sandaime Hokage, he never really told anybody who was sacrificed to be the new jinchuuriki," Itachi started. Naruto and Sasuki listened intently.

"But he did tell the clan leaders that it was sealed into one of the Yondaime's children. No one could really imagine you as the jinchuuriki, Naruto,"

"How could a blond kid who was always smiling, always making other people smile, hold a despicable monster?" With this, Naruto and Sasuki started to realize.

"No, it was not possible. Instead, they put the blame on the little one,"

"They hate Rin. They hate her without really understanding her situation," Itachi looked upon the now-sleeping redhead.

It was a pity. She was a pity. Rin. If Itachi believed in curses and such, he would think that the name itself was a pity.

Hatake Kakashi opened up to him about his lost teammate in a mission once. Her name was Rin. And here was the redhead that was named after her.

The older Rin, she was forcefully made into the Sanbi jinchuuriki and she chose her own death. It was a noble action and she was a hero. Still, only those closest to her didn't forget her. The Yondaime probably decided that she didn't deserve that and she should be remembered. Her name should be remembered.

Looking back now, its such a pity. It seemed that the name itself attracted negative events.

Itachi looked back up at the seven-year olds and saw how their eyes lost some of their lights. He didn't want to worsen the situation but if he would have to say this, it was better to say it now.

"With the Yondaime's orders that the Uchiha take in his children, everything got worse. The other clans had started to trust us over the years but not one of them could really erase the doubt that the Uchiha were the ones who were behind the Kyuubi attack,"

"Rumors started to spread that it was all planned out until the order that we take you in. It was thought that we planned on using Rin to wreak havoc on Konoha in the future,"

"I was hated even more. I was called the genius and it was used against me. They accused me of helping in the supposed murder of the Yondaime and his wife,"

"They even went as far as to saying I was the one who had summoned and had been controlling the Kyuubi."

Naruto and Sasuki looked like they couldn't take in any more news. Itachi saw this but he couldn't really do anything as he was only halfway through the story.

"The other clans had started to treat our clan differently, Sasuki. That's what sparked the coup d'état," Itachi continued.

"Both of you were left out of it as well as all the other innocent children. But everybody else knew. It was supposed to happen three days ago,"

"Shisui, he acted as a double agent. He was the same as you and I, Naruto. He valued the village more than the clan. He knew that the coup would have started the fourth ninja war,"

"He was in the ANBU feigning loyalty to our clan but he was actually reporting to the Sandaime. He was ordered to extinguish all of us."

"But the Hokage wouldn't order that, dattebayo!" Naruto interupted. He was now standing, his hands closed into fists.

"It was not him, Naruto," Itachi answered him. "It was Danzo."

Both the seven-year olds didn't know him except for the few times his name was mentioned in the school. They knew he was in charge of the ROOT, a rather secretive subsection of ANBU.

"So Kaa-san... Tou-san... They really are... Gone?" Sasuki's eyes fell as realization finally hit her completely.

"I apologize, Sasuki," Itachi said quietly.

"How long have you known?" she suddenly flared out. Her breathe was getting ragged.

"I tried to prevent everything from happening, Sasuki," Itachi's eyes fell. He knew it was a mistake to keep it from them as well.

Thinking about it now, she might have changed his father's mind. Knowing that their father loved her very much, more than he loved Itachi. Itachi was more of someone to pass the position of clan heir to than his son, even Itachi knew that.

Sasuki breathed deeply as she processed everything.

"I know," she finally said. Her eyes were calmer now. But if anyone knew her, they could tell that she was planning something.

It only happened at times but she did dislike being defeated by Naruto at spars. She would get this look in her eyes right after the competition and the next spar, she would set more trap and give extra effort to win, even go as far to nearly killing the boy.

And the worse thing was, when she put her mind into it, there was nothing to keep her from doing what she willed.

Itachi hoped it was nothing she could do in the near future and that his and Naruto's way of thinking could grow into her and keep her from doing it. Especially if she planned something bad for the village, as knowing her, she valued the clan over Konoha.

* * *

It took another seven days for the group to leave the Fire Country. Between having to rest and eat and Naruto wanting to go back and Sasuki saying she needed to pee as an excuse to mourn, it was a considerable feat to Itachi for them to get away from the village in that time.

"Where do we go now?" Sasuki asked, her voice void of the usual eagerness it contained.

"We will meet with my friend," Itachi answered as he produced a crow from the black cloak he opted to wear when they defected from the village. Rin saw the black bird and tried to reach for it before it flew away.

"How'd ya do that?" Naruto, also mezmerized by the bird, exclaimed, forgetting their tragic situation for the moment.

"It's merely a summoning technique, Naruto," Itachi let a small smile grace his stoic face. It was good to see that Naruto still held his sunny personality even at this time. "I believe your father has left you something not unlike it in your scroll."

"Really?" Naruto's eyes widened. "I can't wait. I have to learn it! Then, we'll come back home and protect our village! I'll be Hokage, dattebayo!"

"You have to give up on that dream, Naruto," Sasuki sullenly said.

"Why?" Naruto asked rather angrily.

"If they even know we're alive, we are going to be considered missing-nin. They would probably put us in jail." Sasuki answered. Suddenly, she turned to Itachi. "Do they know we're still alive, Nii-san?"

Leave it to Sasuki to figure everything out.

"No," Itachi answered her hesitantly, knowing it would most likely change something in the optimistic mind of the blond boy. "They do not."

'Or so I hope,' he added in his thoughts. 'No. Only Tsunade-hime would be able to tell that those are not our bodies.'

"Itachi," a voice broke him from his thoughts.

"Shisui," Itachi regarded him. It has only been at most an hour since he sent his crow. It was astounding that someone could shunshin that fast but he knew that the Yondaime would have made it here even faster.

"Who is he?" Naruto tugged on the Itachi's clothes.

"He was the one who saved us from the cruel judgement of our own people," Itachi spoke with a sullen tone.

"What is he doing here?" Sasuki asked as she eyed the older man with suspicion.

"I have the leads on Jiraiya," Shisui disregarded the seven-year olds. "And he's currently near Suna. It does not look like he's going to leave for a while. I suggest we leave now."

* * *

And so the adventure begins :(((( Please forgive me for the short chapter. Been going through things. And writer's block too. Thanks for reading and please review. And suggest what you might want to happen next because I have no idea on what to do before the next time skip... :(((


	9. Chapter 9

So I've edited every past chapter so you might wanna check those out :3

Anywaysss, heres chapter 9 and I don't own nothin'~

* * *

"Ino's not here, dattebayo!" Naruto told Sasuki.

He's been trying to get the raven-haired girl to wear a yukata for hours.

They've arrived at this small civilian village and they were supposed to just resupply on their food and buy a few weapons. They Naruto just had to be informed that there was a firework festival.

Naruto has always loved watching fireworks. His mother would always take him. And she would wear her kimono. And she would be beautiful.

"Hn," Sasuki grunted and turned away from the blond boy.

"Come on," Naruto started to whine. "Just for today?"

He really wanted to enjoy this time. Its been quite a while since he had some fun.

But Sasuki's refusal to wear anything close to girl-y, anything that Ino would wear was making it hard.

"Sasuki," Itachi finally decided to help Naruto out.

Rin had started to struggle a little in his arms. No doubt that she was going to ask for some milk soon.

"If you go agree to the fireworks with Naruto later," he chose his words carefully. "And wear a yukata like Naruto has asked, we can do you would prefer to do tomorrow."

Sasuki stared at her brother, searching for anything that may count this as a trap. Seeing nothing, she said: "Just for tonight. I will think about what I want to do for tomorrow."

"Yes!" Naruto said before blubbering things about how much fun it would be.

Itachi had apologized a while ago that he couldn't go because babies can't be allowed near fireworks and that Shisui might soon return after searching for Jiraiya.

Sasuki decided it can't be too bad. Besides, it was true that Ino isn't there. Nobody who knew what embarrassing things she did with Ino, besides Naruto and Itachi, was there.

She followed Naruto out of the inn they were staying in after Itachi handed her some money for the things they were buying.

"Black," Sasuki insisted.

"Pink," Naruto tried again.

"Fine, red," Sasuki said.

"This red?" Naruto asked hopefully, pointing to a yukata that was painfully pink.

"That's pink," Sasuki said before deciding that she needed to choose her own yukata before they spent another hour in this store.

She found a few red, deep red, crimson yukata and asked a girl in the store if he could help her.

"Are you two going alone to the fireworks?" the girl asked her while she fitted a yukata.

Wary of the stranger, Sasuki lied with, "No. Our mothers are going with us."

Mothers. It wasn't too bad of lie.

Mikoto once tried to get Sasuki to join Naruto and his mother to the fireworks.

Now, Sasuki didn't know if she regretted saying no.

"Where are they now?" the girl asked.

"They're at the spa next door. They asked us if we could buy our yukata on our own," she answered, remembering the spa they had just passed a while ago. The girl nodded and didn't ask anymore questions from the clearly annoyed little girl.

Soon, Sasuki was done trying on all the yukata she had picked out and she had to choose which one she liked best.

One of the yukata was just a plain, deep red with black, silky linings and a white obi. She would have chosen this but she suddenly thought of Naruto.

Naruto would prefer one of the other yukata. It was a red, bright but still red, one with black and white sequins embedded and shaped into flowers at the lower part. It had a white obi, too, but this had a smaller black belt and it ended with a huge ribbon at the back.

Sasuki thought carefully. Then, she realized 'Why am I thinking about what Naruto would like anyway?'

"I'm taking this one," she said to the girl.

"Wonderful choice," the girl replied with a rather fake smile.

"What did you choose, dattebayo?" Naruto asked as soon as she exited the fitting room.

"None of your business," she said with a grunt.

* * *

Unknown to the two children in the kimono shop, there was another raven browsing in another shop.

Shisui had arrived early and he brought along the man that they were looking for.

"Itachi," Jiraiya greeted the young man as he entered through the window of the room.

"Jiraiya-sama," Itachi tried to bow respectfully, but the baby in his arms proved it difficult.

"Ahh, it's fine," Jiraiya waved his hand dismissively as he walked towards the two. Shisui went to the bed and neither of the two gave him attention.

He had been searching for the sannin for the whole night. He deserved the rest.

"I'm sorry Itachi," Jiraiya's voice suddenly turned grave.

"No one is to be blamed," Itachi replied, his attention back on Rin.

"I still wish I had done something to stop it,"

"I believe only the Yondaime would have been able to do so," Itachi said. "I mean you no offense."

"Not one taken," Jiraiya decided to stop with the formality. "How's my Naruto and Rin?"

"Naruto is with Sasuki, buying a yukata,"

"Yukata?"

"A firework festival will be held in this village later," Itachi handed the redhead to Jiraiya. "Naruto wishes to see it."

"Ahh," Jiraiya couldn't help the smile that made its way into his face. He remembered how Kushina would pull Minato away to watch the fireworks.

"Hey, how would you like to do something for me?" Jiraiya suddenly said. Itachi lifted his eyes from the formula milk that he was preparing and saw the gleam in the sannin's eyes.

"Buy a camera and document this event in those two's life," Jiraiya said it like Naruto and Sasuki weren't children with innocence.

Itachi stared at him with incredulous eyes.

"Go on," the older man said. "Shisui, here, has already told me some of what happened. We'll talk again tomorrow. I'll take care of little Rin here while you're gone,"

"You know, I was there when they decided her name. I said Menma would be perfect since their firstborn was a Naruto. Don't you think she's a Menma?,"

"Kushina was almost convinced. But oh well, little Naruto hated menma ramen so... Well, I still think she's not a Rin."

Itachi left before the sannin could go on with the Menma/Rin name. He hoped that Jiraiya was as reliable with babies as he was with spying.

* * *

"Ahh, Naruto," Jiraiya greeted the blond kid.

Naruto and Sasuki had gone back to the room after buying both of their yukata, only to find the man in there.

"Ero-sennin!" Naruto bounded towards his godfather.

His memories of the time they spent with Minato and Kushina flooded in his mind again. He had teary eyes again. He had stopped himself from crying months ago but the sight of someone so close to their family was too much.

"Careful now," Jiraiya said as he hugged the blond kid back. He was awfully reminded of his student. "Wouldn't want little Menma to be crushed between us."

"Rin, dattebayo," Naruto emphasized as he wiped the tears that never fell from his blue eyes. "Not Menma."

"How about that Menma?" Jiraiya turned to the redhead who was giggling in his arms. "He wants to call you Rin."

Rin blew bubbles as Naruto and Jiraiya laughed. Sasuki appeared in front of them and asked, "Nii-san?"

"Ahh, hello there, Sasuki," Jiraiya regarded the raven. "Your brother went out to get a few things for me."

"Hn," Sasuki said before turning towards the bathroom.

"A bit full of herself, isn't she?" Jiraiya asked Naruto with a smile on her face. That girl kinda reminded him of his former teammate.

Naruto only nodded before he asked, "Hey, are you gonna come watch the fireworks with us, dattebayo?"

"I'd love to," Jiraiya said. "But I have work to do."

Naruto pouted.

"I'm sorry Naruto. Maybe next time, okay?" Jiraiya ruffled the blond's hair.

* * *

Soon, night fell and Naruto was already dressed in his yukata.

It was a simple, midnight blue one with white linings and a white obi. It was rather uncharacteristic of him to wear something simple, quite dull.

"Where's Nii-san!" Sasuki asked impatiently. Seeing Naruto's plain yukata, she was a bit embarassed to wear hers.

"He won't be coming back till a few hours, Sasuki," Jiraiya scratched his head. This girl was definitely louder than who he thought resembled her. At least Orochimaru had a less high-pitched voice. "Why don't you dress up now, so you can go see the fireworks?"

"Argh," he heard Sasuki grumble under her breath. "Naruto, where did you even get a plain yukata?"

"It was one of the yukatas in my scroll, dattebayo," the blond sat on his bed, confusion written on his face. "I thought you'd like me to wear something not showy."

With this, Sasuki became even more annoyed.

"You better dress up now, Sasuki," Jiraiya said. "You don't want to be late."

"Fine," Sasuki muttered before heading towards the bathroom.

She came out a little while later, wearing the bright red kimono with black and white flower designs.

The redness of the cloth complimented her pale skin and jet black hair. Although the way it is now, her cheeks held an unmistakable red tinge.

"You're beautiful, Sasuki," Naruto broke the silence that ensued after the raven came out of the bathroom.

"Very beautiful, indeed," Jiraiya agreed. "Now, go on,"

He pushed the two out the door and said, "Have fun!"

As soon as the two were out of the inn, they were greeted by a crowd too thick that one couldn't even drop a needle.

Sasuki felt a hand intertwine with hers. She looked up and saw Naruto looking out the crowd, with sparkles in his eyes.

"So that I won't lose you," Naruto explained with a smile when he saw her looking at him.

Sasuki remembered what her mother had said about this and sighed. She would do this even if it's just to honor her mother.

Little did she know that a former ANBU member was already spying on them. She didn't even notice the click of a camera through the noises in the crowd.

The two walked on, going with the flow. And neither noticed the following clicks of a camera.

* * *

The first thing the two did was play a few games.

"Let's try this one," Naruto said as he led the raven into a stand.

"What do we do?" Sasuki asked.

"Catch a fish and take it home!" the guy managing the stand yelled.

"Ok," Naruto quickly stood up on a stool and tried to catch the fish with a paper-net. Sasuki watched a the fish tried to struggle as much as possible and the paper tear as the fish escaped.

"This isn't even possible!" Naruto exclaimed.

"I'll try," Sasuki said as she got up on another stool.

They tried a few more times. Each time, tearing the paper-net and paying a hundred yen.

Sasuki was finally about to give up and leave when Naruto appeared beside her and held the net she was holding.

Naruto had this concentrated look on his face when suddenly, he broke out into a 'Yes!'

He had caught the fish and the guy was putting it into a plastic bag.

"What did you do?" Sasuki asked when she was handed the fish.

"I realized that you have to corner the fish slowly, dattebayo," Naruto said with his hands behind his head.

"Why didn't you do it with your own net, then?"

"Well, I saw that your fish moved slower,"

"Nee-chan," a little girl smaller than they were appeared beside Sasuki and tugged on her yukata. "Can I have that fish?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," a woman appeared behind the girl. "Please don't mind Yuki. Yuki, Tou-san will go catch you some fish.

"No, it's okay," Sasuki suddenly said as she handed the small plastic to the girl. "Here."

The little girl and the woman said thank you and were soon lost in the crowd.

"Why'd you give it to her, dattebayo?"

"She would take care of it better," Sasuki said as-a-matter-of-factly. "We're travelling anyways."

Naruto didn't question Sasuki's logic and they went on with their small adventure.

"Hey, Sasuki," Naruto called out to the raven walking beside him. Over the voices lost in the crowd, he could still hear an ice cream man endorsing his goods. "Let's buy ice cream, dattebayo!"

"Isn't it a little too cold for ice cream?" Sasuki asked with less venom in her voice than usual.

"There's never a bad time for ice cream, dattebayo," Naruto said as he pulled Sasuki into a nearby ice cream stall.

"What can I get for you, little ones?" the ice cream man asked when the two reached him.

"One chocolate ice cream cone, please," Naruto sang out, before searching for his gama pouch in his yukata.

The man handed the chocolate ice cream to Naruto before turning to Sasuki.

"How about for this beautiful girl?" he asked.

"Vanilla, please," Sasuki said, searching for the purse that Itachi gave her a while ago.

"How much, dattebayo?" Naruto asked when he found his little green frog. Sasuki was still searching for her wallet as she was handed her ice cream.

"That will be 100 Yen each,"

"Here's 200 Yen For the both of us," Naruto said. "Arigatou."

He then reached for Sasuki's hand that was still searching for the wallet and pulled her away.

"I was going to pay for my own," Sasuki said when Naruto had stopped running through the thick crowd. He has found an empty children's park and was now walking towards the swings.

"It's my thanks for coming with me tonight," Naruto answered.

"I was going to get my turn to do what I want tomorrow," her voice a bit softer, following the serene atmosphere of the park. All the children were probably with their parents now.

'Naruto and I are probably the only ones without parents here,' Sasuki thought glumly. She sat on the swing beside Naruto.

"Ne," Naruto ignored her last statement. "Kaa-san used to bring me to the park when we watched fireworks,"

"It would be empty, just like this, because everyone else would be near the fireworks. They don't realize that the view here would be just as nice." he continued.

A comfortable silence ensued while the two were eating their ice cream.

"Sasuki," Naruto called and Sasuki barely replied. It was almost a grunt, but softer. She was actually saying 'Hmm?' instead of 'Hn.'

"You look really beautiful tonight," Naruto told her. And she was thankful that Naruto was focused on his ice cream because she just knew that her face was as red as a tomato.

She hadn't heard a comment like that in years.

Maybe she pushed those compliments away when she felt embarrassed that she actually had a rivalry with Ino, however minor it may have been.

But hearing it now, from Naruto, not the people who were obligated to do so because she was a main family member, and not because she asked them if she was, she really liked the words.

"Especially now, you're dressed up and all," Naruto broke the pleasing feeling.

"I mean, you're pretty, too, when you're dressed simple," Naruto raised his hands defensively. "But it's nice to see a bit difference, dattebayo."

Sasuki didn't know what to feel anymore. She should be irritated or something. But there was just something in the air that calmed her.

"I know," she said in a relaxed tone.

"You know?" Naruto's eyes widened. Realizing that Sasuki wasn't joking, he decided to push a bit more.

"Hey," he stood up. "Why don't you try some chocolate ice cream? It's a lot tastier than vanilla, dattebayo!"

Sasuki started to refuse when Naruto pushed the ice cream cone towards her. Then, the ice cream made contact with her face and on the tip of her nose, sat a smudge of the cold chocolate.

"I'm sorry!" Naruto's eyes widened again as he backed away slowly, anticipating what attack Sasuki might deliver.

Sasuki stood up from her swing and just as slowly walked towards the blond boy.

"You better stop right there," she threatened. "Or there will be much worse consequences."

Naruto immediately stood his ground and closed his eyes, awaiting what judgement Sasuki decided.

Then, he felt a cold, wet substance slide down his chin.

"You look like an old man," he heard Sasuki laugh.

Sasuki laugh?

Did he just hear that right?

He opened his eyes and sure enough, Sasuki wa pointing a finger at him. And laughing.

The remains of Sasuki's cone of ice cream was on the grass and Naruto realized what the raven had just done.

"I'm telling you, chocolate is better than this," Naruto said as he licked what ice cream he coud from his face.

This made Sasuki laugh even harder and soon, she was on the grass herself.

Naruto did a few more stupid things with the ice cream as he realized what a beautiful sound it made when the little girl laughed. He wondered why she didn't do it more often.

Sasuki's laugh soon merged with a different sound. And then, she stopped abruptly as Naruto see different colors sparkle in her eyes.

The fireworks.

He laid down quickly beside Sasuki and stared up at the fireworks.

"So beautiful," he heard Sasuki mutter. And beautiful it was.

To another raven, hiding up the trees, there was a sight even more beautiful.

He took another picture, in hopes of capturing the beautiful moment of innocence between a girl and a boy, side by side, looking up at the sky.

* * *

I tried to write fluff. I tried. :I I'm sorry.

Please review and tell me if it was fluff enough or something. :/

And just review if you want to tell me something. :(((

I just wanted to say that I love you guys~ so so much~


	10. Chapter 10

"So," Jiraiya started.

It was the morning after the festival, which Itachi knew no one wanted to end. He didn't want it to end. It made it seem like everything was perfectly normal. Like his family wasn't dead. Like they hadn't defected from the village he so loved. Like innocence still filled the souls of his beloved sister and Naruto's.

"Tell me why the whole story," the sannin continued.

Itachi relayed what has happened. What the other villagers thought of the death of their Yondaime and his wife, saying the Uchiha was behind the supposed murder. How they saw Naruto and his sister being taken in by the doubted clan, accusing the Uchiha of trying to make Rin into a weapon against their village.

How the clan felt as they were glared at and talked about behind their backs. About the final push that made them want to revolt. What Danzo had ordered of Shisui. Their escape.

"You're telling me that you managed to leave fake corpses and no one in Konoha questioned them?" Jiraiya started to guffaw. "That village has started to deteriorate since I last visited."

"The corpses we have left are of high quality and only the most skilled in anatomy can identify them as fakes," Itachi started. He knew that the village had indeed lost excellence, but he still wanted to be proud of it. "Amongst those rare people are the two of your former teammates. Perhaps they are the only ones left that could determine the falsity."

"Ahh," Jiraiya pretended to wipe a tear from his eye. "I guess that must be true,"

Itachi waited as the sannin composed himself.

"Care to say the reason of why you would come for me when my, or our, village thinks you and the children are dead?" Jiraiya finally said.

"I know, for a fact, that you manage a network of spies, gathering useful information for the village," Itachi started. "Naruto and I still feel strong desire to protect the village that believes us dead. I believe that spying for you will help us do that. Even if Konoha itself acknowledges it not."

"I see," Jiraiya said vaguely. "Well then, I shall take all four of you on to this, if you promise your allegiance,"

"Even though Rin can't technically spy for me yet," Jiraiya suddenly added. "Anyway, your first assignment is to spy in Suna starting tomorrow. That was what I had been doing this past few days, but leads on another, more important matter turned up in Iwa. I shall be heading there now, but don't you worry. Your mission in Suna is C-rank at least."

"You, ANBU operative, can handle such a big, difficult mission, can't you?" Jiraiya ended with a joke.

"What is it about?" Itachi disregarded the joke.

"Just find out if a certain teamate of mine has been in the village," Jiraiya's smile faltered. "If you find nothing in the next three days,... Just report to me. You have techniques on sending messages, right?"

Itachi nodded before Jiraiya went to the direction of the inn to say goodbye to the still sleeping Naruto and Rin. When Itachi reached the room himself, he found no sannin and a Naruto looking out the window, holding Rin in his arms.

Shisui had also woken up and had been fixing his weapons.

"I need to leave soon," Shisui told Itachi. "The Akatsuki won't be waiting for me."

Itachi sighed. There. There was the other thing that worried him.

Akatsuki, the infamous group of S-Class missing-nin. Shisui could fit into their ranks easily. He told Itachi that he gained the mangekyo sharingan during the massacre and combine that with his well-know shunshin. Yes, he was S-Class. But they were ruthless killers. Sure, Shisui killed but he still felt for those who he killed. What if joining that organization changed him?

Before he could say something, Shisui said his goodbyes and told them that he'll check back on them when he could. Then, he was gone with a shunshin.

"Naruto," Itachi turned towards the blond boy who was still looking out the window. Then, he looked at the raven who was sitting on her bed, watching in silence. "Sasuki, make preparations. We will leave soon as well."

* * *

Ok. So sorry for the very short chapter. But I did update early.

I couldn't work on it because I have been studying for the upcoming college entrance tests and also filling up forms and what-not. I wanted to tell you beforehand that I will be updating less...

I'll try to update as much as possible but I don't want you to expect... So there.

Thanks for those who reviewed in the last chapters! You made my life wonderful for a few days. :3

Please review. It makes my world a little bit less stressful. :)


	11. Chapter 11

I own my illustration of Sasuki and I made it this story's cover photo :) Tell me how bad it is because I'm such an amateur :3

* * *

As soon as the Naruto, Sasuki, Itachi and Rin arrived at Suna, Itachi immediately said, "Behave yourselves."

Sasuki barely muttered a "Hn," as she started walking off in the direction of which she doesn't know, her sandals digging into the unfamiliar sand.

She was in a bit embarrassing situation as it was. Why? She had been forced into wearing a dress!

Sure, it was fun and all at the festival last night and she was wearing a yukata. but it didn't mean that wearing the yukata was fun and in no sense would it mean that she was going to start wearing such from now on.

Sasuki sighed. She guessed that it can't be helped.

Their first spying assignment was in Suna and as far as they were concerned, the village as strict. They didn't allow random ninja in. Especially those whose identities were questionable. They had to pretend to be civilians.

And apparently, to be a civilian is to wear dresses.

Naruto, who had started to follow Sasuki was in a better situation. He was just wearing the clothes he wore when sleeping. A plain shirt and shorts.

Well, as plain as a bright orange shirt could be.

What ninja would wear such a blinding color?

And then again, Naruto proves his point.

"What better way to act civilian-like than to act un-ninja-like?" he said. Sasuki and Itachi hoped that the color would actually make him less of a ninja more than it will attract unnecessary attention.

Itachi watched as the two walked off. Rin was making gurgling sound, reaching out for them with her chubby arms.

"It's okay, Rin," Itachi told himself more than he told the baby. This was their first spying mission and they didn't even get to graduate academy. He hoped they had a natural affinity for acting. "They'll be fine."

Itachi started heading off into the opposite direction of where the two went.

* * *

"Hey, there's a park over there," Naruto pointed to an isolated area. "Let's go, dattebayo!"

"We are on a mission, Naruto," Sasuki pulled his back and hissed into his ears.

"Ne, Sasuki," Naruto turned to face her. "If Ero-sennin didn't see anything here, what makes you think we would?"

Sasuki was stunned for a moment. Naruto actually made sense. Did the sannin actually just sent them here for nothing?

"Maybe it's training," Naruto answered her unspoken question. "Now, come on, dattebayo!"

Naruto held her hand and pulled her towards the park.

As soon as they got there, a head of red made its way to their line of sight. It was another kid.

"So, it's not so empty, after all," Naruto said as he bounded towards the other child.

"Hello!" Naruto said loudly as he neared the swing set where the child was sitting quietly. Sasuki noticed that Naruto didn't mention his name.

"Go away," the redhead answered without looking up. The words didn't hold the hurtful tone it should have had. Instead, it was laced with sadness.

That, however, made no impact on the pride of a certain Uchiha.

"I don't think you can make us go away," Sasuki told the boy coldly.

"Sasuki," Naruto whispered reprimandingly.

"Just...," the other kid said silently. "Just leave me alone."

"Make me," Sasuki knew she was going to regret this rare show of impulsiveness. But it was impulsiveness and she couldn't really stop it.

The redhead looked up at her to reveal thick dark lines around his eyes. Even though his face showed an angry expression, his pale green eyes reflected sadness.

"Don't look at me like that," he said.

"Look at you like what?" Sasuki challenged.

"Like that," the redhead stood up and showed that he was a few inches shorter than the other two. "I hate it when people look at me like that,"

"I kill the people who look at me like that," he finished as the sand beneath his feet started to shift.

Suddenly, sand was flying through the air towards Sasuki. She got over her initial shock and could barely move aside to dodge the fast-moving particles.

Sasuki pulled out a kunai from beneath the skirt of her dress and tried to counter the sand. When it proved futile, she dodged another wave of sand and threw the projectile towards the other kid.

Who knew her impulsiveness would lead to this? Then, again, who would have thought a kid sitting on a swing was this skilled.

'Sorry, Nii-san,' she thought as she remembered his latest words: 'Behave yourselves.'

The kunai didn't even get three inches of its target as sand blocked it. Sasuki was too focused on the kunai that she didn't see the oncoming sand that made its way towards her. It was too late to dodge.

She braced herself for the impact but she only heard something else hit the ground.

She opened her eyes to see that Naruto was sprawled on the ground with his eyes closed, blood dribbling down his chin and onto the sand around him that seemingly looked like a hand trying to choke what life remains in of him.

Sasuki immediately ran towards his unconscious and not breathing form. The other kid watched them silently, looking quite entertained.

"Naruto," she yelled as she tried to shake the sand away. It only seemed to hold on tighter into him as his body was pressed into a smaller and smaller figure.

Sasuki felt a burning sensation behind her nose, a sure sign that she was going to cry soon.

But the redhead watching them saw something entirely different. To him, not a tear was forming on the girl's eyes. Instead, the blackness of her irises changed into a glowing red and on them formed a ring with three misshapen dots. No. Three tomoe.

Sasuki stood up faster than the redhead could have seen and soon, she was behind him, forming hand seals.

Had it not been for the boy's automatic defense, he would have been burned alive what with the famous Uchiha fireball jutsu.

The redhead sent another wave of sand towards the girl who was sprinting at an impossible pace but she dodged out-of-the-way easily.

She made another sent of hand seals and threw a few kunai, which soon were burning. The sand swatted the flaming kunai before they reached him. The kunai burned everything they made contact with.

Exchanges of blows happened repeatedly and soon, dust and smoke was rising in the surrounding air.

* * *

"So," a dark menacing voice echoed around Naruto. "You've finally come to see me. Brat."

Naruto sat up slowly and realized that he had been lying on water. Ironically, no part of him got soaked.

"You seem a lot more talkative the whole time I watched you from here," the voice boomed.

Naruto looked up to see piercing red eyes from behind metal bars that never ended.

"Speak, brat," the voice commanded. "Your friend is going to tire out soon. Unlike you and Shukaku's container, her chakra reserves are average."

"Sasuki?" Naruto finally spoke.

"Yes, the Uchiha brat," the voice answered. "You should be dead but I won't let my container prove weaker than that of Shukaku's. I have more tails than him. Saving her, however, is not for me to do."

"You saved me?"

"I told you I won't lose to that tanuki," the voice angrily bellowed. "Are you going to wake up or not?"

* * *

"Sasuki," Naruto rose from the sand that lay unmoving around him. "Stop."

Sasuki immediately looked for the source of the voice, forgetting of her current fight.

Naruto was immediately in front her, red... Is that chakra emanating from him? His arms were opened wide as he face the oncoming attack of the redhead.

The sand barely hit him as it disintegrated when it reached the chakra covering him.

Looking closely, Sasuki saw a... tail of the same energy behind Naruto.

"Hey," Naruto's voice woke Sasuki up from her confusion. "You have a monster in you, too."

The redhead seemed just as confused as Sasuki.

"You're just like me, dattebayo," the blond started walking towards him. "I know how you feel."

"Don't go near me," the redhead said silently, no trace of threatening in his voice.

"You don't like people looking at you like you're the monster. Like its all your fault, I know. But those are only the people who don't know you. But that's exactly why. You don't have to kill them. Just prove them wrong. Prove that you're not the monster they think you are."

"But I am a monster," the redhead whimpered as he sat into a fetal position.

"Does that make me a monster, too?" Naruto asked as he neared the boy, the red chakra around him slowly disappitating. "Do you think I am a monster?"

"You don't understand. My own mother didn't want me. My uncle, he-he tried to kill me."

"Do you really believe that?" Naruto sat down beside the redhead.

"He told me," he answered with doubt.

"Did you feel like it?"

The redhead looked up to see the boy staring straight into the sky.

"Didn't you ever feel warm and safe whenever you think of them? My Kaa-san said that if I feel like that, then it means that she's still beside me. It's been over a year since she and Tou-san died but I still feel their love. Didn't you ever feel it?"

The smaller boy thought deeply of the words that the blond said. He did feel warmth whenever his uncle told him about his mother. And he felt it too when it was just his uncle and him.

He looked back up at the blond beside him. No one has ever sat this close to him. Did he really not think of him as a monster?

* * *

Itachi saw the dust and smoke rising from the direction Sasuki and Naruto took.

He noticed a few of the shopkeepers gossiping about the monster probably taking his anger out somewhere. There were also a few ninja jumping from roof to roof towards the direction of the disturbance.

He had a bad feeling about this.

He walked quickly towards a dark alley and continued on his way towards the smoke in the shadows.

Rin suddenly awake, said, "Tachi."

Itachi's eyes widened at the baby's first word. What a situation for her first milestone.

"Yes?" Itachi decided to humor her while speeding towards their destination.

Rin just reached out to the direction of where they were going.

"I know," Itachi said as he picked up on his pace.

'Even Rin is worried,' he thought.

When they reached the park where Sasuki and Naruto was, Itachi was even more shocked.

Not one of the ninja he saw earlier was present. And instead of a fight, he saw Sasuki just standing and Naruto sitting close to a boy who was younger than both of them.

"That's Itachi-nii," Naruto pointed at him. "And that's Rin."

Naruto quickly stood and helped the redhead beside him up. Then he led the both of them towards Itachi and the baby.

"Isn't she beautiful, dattebayo?" Naruto cooed.

Itachi hesitated before handing Rin to Naruto. If Naruto trusted this boy then why should he not? Still the thoughts of what smoke he saw earlier lingered.

Smoke only meant one thing.

"Sasuki," he called. "What happened?"

"Ne, Itachi-nii," Naruto interrupted before Sasuki could even answer. "Could we take Gaara with us? No one here loves him any more. He's strong, too, dattebayo."

'Gaara?' Itachi thought.

"He's just like me, Itachi-nii," Naruto followed up.

Realization came to Itachi. And he also sensed ninja nearing.

'The boy is a jinchuuriki.'

One jinchuuriki is hard enough when he starts to use the beast's power.

But it seems that this Gaara had taken a friendship with Naruto. Knowing a jinchuuriki's fragile and unstable emotions, if Naruto leaves without him, he might attack them out of rampage.

And who knows what Suna would do if they learn that they were ninjas infiltrating their village? And missing-nin at that.

Perhaps if they let Gaara join them, he do them great help escaping.

Sure, Suna would feel badly to lose such power. But they could have seen him as a threat, too. If what has been said is true, then Suna might even just let them leave freely.

A million different pros and cons rushed through Itachi's mind.

He would have opted to weigh each one but he knew he should think quickly before the other ninja reach them.

* * *

"Tell me more," Gaara asked of Naruto. His Suna scarf was flowing behind him as he leapt from tree to tree. He should get rid of these clothing soon. It was far too distinguishable.

He had been travelling for days with Naruto, Sasuke, Rin and the older boy who he had decided to call Itachi-nii as well.

He had never been allowed out of Suna before. This was the most fun he had since the day he was born, perhaps the only fun he's ever had.

And during this period of just running away from what he used to call home, Gaara went through remarkable change.

He was still quiet, opting to say as few words as possible. But he was undeniably a lot less gloomy and depressed.

"I've no more stories to tell, dattebayo," Naruto whined jokingly. He had been the one narrating what stuff they had gone through.

Hearing each, Gaara felt like he was there. Like he was really part of this family. No, he felt that this was family.

Yes, Sasuki and Itachi were still a bit reserved, but they did trust him. He felt it. And he trusts them as well.

"I have a story," Itachi suddenly spoke up and all eyes were instantly on him. He looked down at the redhead in his arms. "Rather, Rin has. Now, do you not?"

"Tachi," Rin said with giggles.

"Aww man," Naruto said hen he got over the surprise. "I wanted her to say my name first, dattebayo."

"Only seems logical for her to say Nii-san's name first," Sasuki said. "He's the one who holds her most."

"Well then, hand her to me," Naruto ordered. "I'm holding her from now on, dattebayo!"

"Naruto," Gaara called. "Don't you think I look more like her siblng than you do? What with the shade of hair that we share..."

"Gaara!" Naruto yelled. "You know her a few days and you go say things like that?"

The bickering continued for a few more hours and even Sasuki and Itachi joined at times.

'This never happened back in Suna,' Gaara thought. 'Not even my siblings were allowed near me.'

Then, Gaara stopped thinking about his past. That part of his life was over now.

He should stop thinking about that. Why would he if it only wasted what joking and laughs he could have with his new siblings?

He would never trade this for the world. This was far more precious. He never felt more happy.

Gaara never felt more alive.

* * *

Yay for procrastination!

I just wanted to thank everyone so much for reviewing especially those who suggest things. You make my imagination run wild with ideas. :)

Wow. Two chapter in two days, huh? I'm bad.

Anyway, please tell me what you think... Was I too fast with Gaara joining them? It was only a year after Gaara killed his uncle. So less blood spilled, less trauma.

Also with the image I drew of Sasuki. First time guys. :

**Please Review~**


	12. Chapter 12

Itachi watched the newest addition to their small group of runaways.

Now was a good time to assess him. They camped for the night outside a small village to restock on their food supply.

They couldn't just walk into a village randomly now. Not when they're a rather peculiar group of children all less than fourteen. And not when one of them was an infamous jinchuuriki who was the son of a live Kage.

It's been five days since Gaara has joined them.

And what interesting five days it has been.

For one, Naruto finally met his prisoner.

* * *

Flashback

* * *

'I met the kyuubi, dattebayo,' the blond randomly said while they were on the run. 'I could feel his hatred but he healed me up. I think something's bothering him.'

Leave it to the bubbly boy bursting with happiness to sweeten everything and find good in everyone.

'Why do you think so?' Itachi asked him after a while of silence. Rin had started talking gibberish, probably trying to talk to her blond brother. It was a futile attempt and Itachi decided to speak to Naruto himself.

'I'm not sure,' the seven-year old answered. 'But he healed me. Even though he said its just because he won't lose to Shukaku.'

'Shukaku?' Itachi questioned.

'It's my tailed-beast,' Gaara answered. 'The kyuubi knows his name?'

'Well, I didn't know who Shukaku was,' Naruto tilted his head. 'But now I know. I wonder why he knows your tailed-beast though, dattebayo.'

'Gaara,' Itachi turned to the redhead. 'Have you spoken to Shukaku?'

'I won't say that I have spoken to it,' Gaara answered. When he was returned with confused expressions, he added, 'Shukaku talks to me but I doubt that he listens to me.'

'Does he know about my tailed-beast, dattebayo?' Naruto asked rather excitedly.

'Yes,' Gaara answered, a spark in his eyes. 'Just before you spoke to me, Shukaku told me that he could sense the stink of a fox. Kurama, that's the name he said after.'

'Kurama?' Naruto had a wide grin on his face. 'That's a cute name, dattebayo! And so is Shukaku! Hey Gaara, what do you say someday we make friends with Shukaku and Kurama and let's make them be friends with each other, too, dattebayo?'

'Sure, Naruto,' Gaara answered with a smile.

* * *

End of Flashback

* * *

Itachi studied the redheaded boy further.

Gaara seemed to be happy. He looked happy. He was at ease most of the time but Itachi knew that he still had his troubles.

Who wouldn't?

He had only been with them for a week.

Sasuki still had her doubts. Itachi still had his doubts.

And on their defense, he was a young, impulsive jinchuuriki who has killed without much thinking.

On the contrary, Itachi held deep sympathy for the lonely boy.

The fact that he can't sleep because of the monster, or rather, he chose not to sleep as to not let it run loose, was even more saddening.

One night, especially, broke Itachi's heart for the little redhead.

* * *

Flashback no. 2

* * *

Itachi sat down as dawn's first lights broke in.

It was a beautiful sight, really. How the darkness starts to flee at the touch of the rising sun. How the bright, vivid colors, red, orange, and yellows would slowly start to spread across the sky.

It gave him hope.

Each and everyday, however dark the night might have been, the sun would always shine again.

"Sasuki," he silently called out to his sister.

She was a mere foot away, her back turned against him and her black hair covering her face.

"Do not pretend to be asleep. I know that you are not," Itachi told her as he looked back again at the sunrise. He heard a groan but that was it.

"Tell me what has happened," he said after a while.

He knew that Sasuki hasn't had a wink of sleep in the past two days that they've left Suna. He was the one who sat up all night watching.

He had thought that Sasuki would have come and told him about it on her own but she still hasn't.

She was one to endure restless nights especially well since the terrible events. But that didn't mean that she could go on without sleep. Even after their parents' deaths, Sasuki would still get at least an hour of slumber.

But lately, her restless nights had become 'no sleep at all.' And it had started showing.

She has tripped on twigs and rocks more often. She was getting tired more easily. She hasn't even been talking to any of them. And in a few more days, the bags under her eyes could rival Gaara's.

Gaara.

"Tell me about Gaara," Itachi said only to have Sasuki sit straight up and start to shake a bit.

"Nii-san," the raven could barely mutter as she looked up, her normally dark eyes blazing a luminous red, at her older brother.

Itachi's own pitch black eyes widened at the thought of her sister acquiring the sharingan at her age. She hadn't even turned eight. Even he had his eighth birthday when he had gained them.

"Tell me," he urged his sister on as she closed her eyes. She sat in such a way that she was hugging her legs. No doubt that the scene was replaying in her mind. The sharingan does that.

"I-I... I looked at Gaara wrong," Sasuki started. "He atttacked. And then..."

As Itachi thought, it was Sasuki who had produced the smoke.

"Well, Naruto... He got in the way," Sasuki took a deep breath. "I thought he was dead! He was bleeding and he was crushed and he wasn't moving! He wasn't breathing! I was sure he was dead, Nii-san..."

Sasuki said it all so fast that if Itachi was a normal civilian, he wouldn't have caught on. And her eyes squeezed shut now. Her hands came from being wrapped around her legs to her sleeping bag, her knuckles turning white.

And just as fast as she said it, she stopped talking.

"Sasuki,"

"Nii-san," Sasuki suddenly buried her face on Itachi's chest, something she hasn't done in a very long time.

Itachi got over his shock and started patting Sasuki's hair, murmuring thinks like 'It's alright.' He ignored the dampness starting to seep into his shirt.

Sasuki never let anyone see her cry when their parents died. He knew and she knew that he knew, but she never told him anyway.

"Nii-san," Sasuki said again. "I don't want to lose anyone ever again. Tou-san and Kaa-san are already gone. I don't want to lose you, too...or Naruto or Rin..."

"I'm sorry," another voice suddenly said.

Itachi turned around to see their new friend awake.

"I'm sorry for making you feel that way," the boy continued quietly. Then he stood up and did the unexpected. He lowered his head in a bow. Then he spoke again in a hushed tone only ninja would hear. "Please forgive me."

"I have lost someone close to me, too. I know how terrible it feels," he said. "I never really met my mother but my heart aches for her. The way Yashamaru-oji-san told me of her, I felt how much she loved me. And it hurts knowing that she's not here, especially when I see other children with their mothers. If it had been different, I would have appreciated very much that my mother would keep me away from the monster all the other mothers keep their children away from. That she'd want me safe."

"But I never knew her, and it hurts," Gaara kept his head low. "But it hurt more when Yashamaru-oji-san told me that everything has been a lie and I killed him. He was the only one who was there for me. The only one who I thought cared for me. And he went and broke that. Thinking about it now, I know that what he said last was the only lie,"

"Naruto made me realize that. That if I felt the warmth, the happiness, then it was real. And that what I felt with Naruto. He's real. Unlike all the cold stares everyone pointed at me in Suna. Not even the frigid way my father treated me or the way he kept my sibling away from me. Yashamaru-oji-san made me feel happy but he's gone now. I realized that no one there made me feel even warm there anymore,"

"I know it's selfish, but I wanted to feel the warmth that nobody in the place I used to call home can give me anymore. Naruto said that if I worked hard enough to earn their trusts, they'd start to warm up eventually. But I know that any hope of that for me is far too gone. I've killed there, men, women, children. But Naruto, h-he would give me another chance, I know that. And it's selfish but I wanted to take that chance,"

"And I want you to know that I'll do anything for you to forgive me, to accept me. Please, this is my only chance," Gaara shifted and then he was kneeling on the ground, his hands palm-down with his head resting on them. It was a total act of submission, of repentance. "Please."

Just as Itachi was about to tell him to get up, Sasuki spoke.

"I'm sorry, Gaara," she started, her eyes showed no sign of crying and back to being their being piercing and dark. "Even if it wasn't you who attacked, I would feel this way. But it was you. And it's hard for me to say this, but its harder to forgive what you've done."

"Sasuki," Itachi said. He knew forgiving was hard for his sister but Gaara had given up even his pride.

"It's okay, Itachi-san," Gaara interrupted. "I understand her reasons. But I will not stop until I get forgiveness."

Then, there was terrible silence and so much tension in the air. Gaara stayed in his place and Sasuki looked down upon him with no emotion.

"Sasuki, you should go to sleep," Itachi stated. "Gaara, stand up and have your rest. The sun has risen and in a few hours, we shall start moving again."

The two obeyed after a wile and lied down on their bags, with Gaara using Itachi's since he didn't have his own.

But Itachi knew the ones who were sleeping were only the ones who had slept through the confrontation. Naruto and Rin were snoring quietly in their own world of dreams.

It's alarming how sound Naruto slept, when Sasuki had just clearly stated that he seemed to have been dead.

Itachi stood watch until the last streaks of the gray of the night disappeared from the morning sky. And he hoped that the issue that had just unraveled itself moments ago found its own daybreak soon.

* * *

End of Flashback no. 2

* * *

Itachi sighed as Gaara happened to glance at Sasuki and an instant drop of sadness fell on the redhead's eyes.

Sasuki had started to talk again, making witty remarks. But she would only answer to something said not by Gaara.

Worse was, Naruto talked less randomly. He was holding onto Rin just as he had stated he would do so. And because of that, he was now saying 'Aniki' more often than anything else.

Itachi hoped Rin would start repeating after him soon because with all the attention his blond brother was giving her, Naruto was missing out on making everybody else's days brighter.

"Niki," Rin suddenly said, much to everybody's surprise.

"She said 'Aniki, dattebayo!" Naruto squealed after a second. "Rin said 'Aniki!"

"Yes, she did," Itachi smiled at the blond boy and ruffled his hair. "Now, would you let me hold her so that we may continue on our way?"

Naruto pouted but seemed to think about it.

"You know, Jiraiya-sama had already sent us our next mission scroll," Itachi told the blond. Itachi had sent one of his crows to report to the sannin of the events that happened in Suna and Jiraiya had replied with two scrolls. One contained their last mission that was deemed a failure and was swallowed by the frog that bought it as soon as Itachi finished reading it. The other was a new mission scroll. "We may get there on time and complete the said mission. But only if you let me hold Rin."

Finally, Naruto handed Rin, who was giggling and saying 'Niki' and 'Tachi' all the while, to the raven-haired ninja.

"Where are we going anyway?" Sasuki spoke for the first time in what seemed like eternity.

"We are supposed to look for a certain lake," Itachi answered. "Jiraiya-sama have said that rumors have spread lately about people mysteriously disappearing and reappearing after a few days of going to the said lake. He thinks that maybe one of his teammates might be behind said disappearances."

"Is it Orochimaru?" Naruto asked. "Kaa-san told me about him and he's horribly creepy, dattebayo!"

"It is only a speculation," Itachi answered.

"Who is Orochimaru?" Sasuki asked.

"One of the Three Legendary Sannin?" Gaara suddenly asked. "Are we looking for him? And for one of the other sannin, too?"

"Yes," Itachi answered the redheaded boy as he took a bottle of formula milk to feed another redhead. Rin had started whining loudly, reaching up and slapping Itachi. "Naruto must have told you about what we have taken to doing."

Gaara looked expectantly at Naruto who then scratched the back of his head with a nervous laugh.

"Who is Orochimaru?" Sasuki asked again. She looked a bit peeved at being ignored.

"Have I not told you his stories?" Itachi asked her with one of his thin brows raised.

Sasuki squinted her eyes, in a 'thinking' manner.

"Well," she started. "I might have forgotten."

"Foolish Sasuki," Itachi shook his head with a small laugh. "You should remember what I tell you. I tell you of them for they will be of use to you later on."

"I just forgot."

Itachi sighed. "Well..."

"Orochimaru is Jiraiya-sama's former friend and teammate. He defected from the village before you were born, just before Yondaime-sama became Hokage. He was a genius gone mad, having experimented on humans. Countless lives have been lost to his curiosities," Itachi said while dancing Rin asleep.

"Tou-san often worried about the snake's whereabouts because he caused trouble wherever he goes, dattebayo," Naruto said.

"Snake?" Sasuki asked even more confused.

"Orochimaru could summon snakes as well as Jiraiya-sama could summon frogs. Their other teammate I have told you about, Tsunade-hime could summon slugs," Itachi answered. "These are what made them known throughout the Elemental Nations in the Third Ninja War, Sasuki. Have you forgotten everything?"

"And Tou-san said rumors of Orochimaru changing skins were spreading. Like a snake, dattebayo," Naruto added. "He's creepy."

Sasuki looked the least interested in what they were saying but she was good at hiding her feelings. She refrained from blushing from embarrassment and mentally scolded herself for not remembering what Itachi had said.

"If he was so great and creepy," she started. "Why do we have to find him? Why don't Jiraiya-sama do that?"

"And that's what he's been doing," Naruto said innocently. "For almost ten years, dattebayo!"

"Jiraiya-sama can't watch everything everywhere," Itachi stated. "That's why we are working for him as spies."

Sasuki said no more as Itachi handed a sleeping Rin back to Naruto.

"I'm going into the village now to buy food," Itachi told them. "Let Rin sleep but prepare to leave as soon as I return. No fighting and be wary of strangers."

Itachi felt like a parent saying that. But then again, he's been saying that since he became a brother.

Itachi felt worried leaving the children alone. But he knew Gaara won't hurt anyone now. And they could protect each other.

He just had to buy the supplies alone. The village won't be suspicious of one ninja who looked older that he really was. But they would be if that one ninja brought three seven-year olds and a baby with him.

He decided to buy what they needed as fast as he could and return to the children promptly. And he did.

As soon as he returned, Naruto was still holding unto a sleeping Rin and Gaara and Sasuki had prepared on leaving.

Itachi put down the scroll he used to carry the food and took Rin from the blond. Naruto took the scroll and carried his own backpack.

Then, they were off.

* * *

"Naruto, you baka," Sasuki scolded after the blond who had just jumped into the lake. Naruto payed her no heed as he swam around the cool waters along the warm, grassy shore.

"We were supposed to spy, not swim," Sasuki added. With the sun setting low on the horizon, the lights it gave off gave off wonderful colors on the lake and Naruto looked like he was swimming in a kind of pool filled with colors. The dark outlines of the surrounding forest was reflected with more color by the sparkling waters and the overgrowth of shrubs and various water plants completed the portrait of a beautiful lake.

Itachi, holding the still-sleeping Rin, stood from behind Sasuki. He surveyed the scenery. Nothing seemed amiss but that was what ninja do. Leave nothing suspicious.

Gaara was about a foot away, feeling earth between his hands. The soil here was damp and that should make him think.

"Naruto get out from there," Sasuki said. "This lake is mysterious remember?"

Naruto suddenly stopped swimming as he looked at Sasuke with a bewildered expression on his face. His mouth moved but no sound came out.

* * *

Hah. Itachi has so many flashbacks its cray cray. :3

Anyway, I hope Gaara's too-fast joining was reasoned out in this chapter... Or was it?

Please review and tell me what you think :3


	13. Chapter 13

I own nothing.

* * *

"Slumber, Naruto-kun," a melodious voice lulled the blond slowly. "Sleep and let your troubles drift farther and farther away."

Naruto saw nothing around him but water and kelp. There was no one anywhere. Suddenly, he felt the urge to sleep.

"Hn-no, no," Naruto tried saying but his mouth failed him. It was only in his mind that the words formed.

He couldn't hear Sasuki's reprimanding voice anymore and that worried him. He felt the numbness start to slip in a while ago.

What if he had sunk so deep in the water that no sound could reach him from the surface? What if they thought he was joking around again? What if they didn't try to lift him from the water? Would he die now?

Wait. Why wasn't he drowning?

"Shush, Naruto-kun," the voice said again. "Just rest."

"Why should I listen to you, dattebayo?" Naruto said or rather thought. "I don't even know your name."

"My name? It's irrelevant but if you want to know, it's Shingetsu," the voice sing-songed. "I know how exhausted you have been... Since your parents' demise. I know how much you would like to just rest,"

The voice paused.

"Maybe something more," it continued. "See your parents earlier."

See your parents? Naruto would like that.

"Rin," Naruto thought to himself. So it was in his mind the voice spoke. Naruto struggled hard to keep his mind awake.

"Mmm," the voice answered slowly. "All of your troubles... All of it started when she... When Rin came to be."

"No," Naruto tried feeling his chakra. "It wasn't Rin's fault, dattebayo!"

"Mmm," the voice make no effort to argue. "But it makes you no happier... Knowing how you have such a despicable monster within you."

"Kurama is not desp-despicabable," Naruto said with a yawn. He couldn't feel even his chakra anymore. "It's just that... Nobody understands him, dattebayo."

"Mmm," the voice slowed down even more. "But Naruto-kun... You are far too tired to understand him yourself... Are you not?"

Naruto wanted to say no but it was as if even his mind had started to numb.

"There, there," the voice said sweetly. "Just rest for a while."

* * *

"The water causes paralysis," Itachi told whoever was listening. He knew Sasuki and Gaara were.

"When will it wear off?" Sasuki asked, a bit of panic evident in her voice. She had been the one to start screaming for her older brother once Naruto had started sinking.

"We have no means to know if it even is temporary," Itachi answered. "But if the rumors were true, I would say it would be in about three days at least."

"'Niki?" Rin seemed to ask curiously. She had woken up when Itachi passed her to Gaara to check on Naruto. She's been reaching out to her unconscious blond brother for a while now.

"It must be what the rumors are centered in," Itachi said. "People going here and not coming back until days later."

"What of those who come back?" Sasuki asked. "Do they come back like nothing happened?"

"Jiraiya-sama told me nothing about that," Itachi answered.

* * *

"Gyaaah! I almost fell asleep!" Naruto exclaimed in his mind.

"And fall asleep, you must!" the once-sweet voice hissed angrily, losing patience.

"I can't! Itachi-nii and the others are probably worrying about me now, dattebayo!" Naruto looked around to see that he was laying down on what seemed to be ground. With kelp everywhere.

And he was still breathing.

"Forget about them!" the voice snapped harshly.

"I can't do that either!" Naruto said as he stood up and started walking around. "They're family."

There was a pause. Naruto kept wandering through the underwater forest.

"They've hurt you time and time again," the voice finally said.

"And I've hurt them, too," Naruto thought. "But family forgive each other no matter what, dattebayo."

Another moment of silence ensued.

Suddenly, something gripped Naruto's arms and ankles. Looking at his wrist, Naruto realized that something to be hair.

Thick, strong, silvery hair.

And just as suddenly, Naruto was pulled towards the source of the hair. And then there was darkness.

For what seemed like a long while, the darkness stayed.

Plop.

Naruto heard the small drop of whatever liquid fell and the splash it made on the surrounding water. The blond boy's hand twitched slightly, the way it does when he wakes up, and felt the dampness around him. He must have fallen asleep after all.

Plop.

Hng.

Naruto opened his eyes after he heard the second sound. Just as he had thought, the bars were the first thing he saw and behind them, Kurama lay sleeping. Naruto got up and walked towards the bars.

"Kurama," Naruto felt giddiness rise from his heart at calling the fox by his name. He felt a little too happy despite the situation but he felt happy nonetheless.

Kurama opened one red eye to glare at the blond and let out a huff.

'That kid is too... Optimistic,' he thought as he closed his eyes. 'No matter. Soon enough, my hatred should take over him. And when he does, I'll free myself from this cage.'

"Kurama, dattebayo," Naruto called again.

After Kurama let out another huff, Naruto added, "I don't think you're despicabable."

"Suit yourself," Kurama answered. "Go away, brat."

"Well," Naruto sat down on the water. "I don't exactly know how I even got here, dattebayo."

Kurama let out anouther huff, an exasperated one, this time.

"That witch got you," Kurama whispered. Then he opened both eyes and began stirring. "Well then. Maybe I should try and take over you now that you're paralyzed and deeply asleep."

* * *

"Nii-san," Sasuki yelled as something red and seemingly bubbling enveloped Naruto.

It was happening again.

Itachi handed Rin over to Gaara again and rushed to Naruto just as the blond opened his eyes to reveal red with black slits instead of blue.

Rin seemed to want to scold the raven for handing her over so roughly and for taking her farther away from his brother.

Itachi quickly activated his sharingan to try to control the kyuubi that was undoubtly trying to take advantage of the situation.

Naruto got up and a tail soon began forming behind him.

"Damn Uchiha," Naruto saw the sharingan yielder and stated in a dark voice that didn't belong to him. He looked beside him and saw a confused Sasuki.

Just as he was about to raise his hands that now had claws, Itachi shunshined and took Sasuki to where Gaara and Rin was. The damp sand around the lake started to dry itself off and with it, Gaara tried to distract Naruto as best he could while holding Rin. The little girl had stopped blabbering and froze in fear.

Itachi faced Naruto again and unfortunately for the Kyuubi, Naruto looked into his eyes.

Soon, Naruto's eyes took the form of Itachi's sharingan. And after a few seconds of silence, the red, bubbling chakra evaporated from Naruto's form and he once again fell unconscious.

"Stay here," Itachi ordered everyone who was listening to him as he approached the blond with caution.

"What happened, dattebayo?" Naruto suddenly sat up and scratched his head.

"You tell me," Sasuki started walking fast towards the blond.

"Well," Naruto laughed nervously. "I know the water numbs my body..."

"What else?" Itachi asked. Naruto began retelling what he knew of what happened.

"I see," Itachi said. "You have just completed our mission here, Naruto."

"Really, dattebayo?"

"Yes," Itachi answered as he pulled out a scroll. "Jiraiya-sama wanted to know what happens exactly when people disappear in this lake."

Itachi started writing. "One reason why we don't know what happens is the refusal of those who do come back to talk. Now, we know that it's because of the woman's, Shingetsu's, persuasion that those near the victim were bad for the victim himself. Perhaps it was a genjutsu. Also, we have proof that Orochimaru may also be involved, if only indirectly. That Shingetsu may be one of his experiments,"

"Nonetheless, the kyuubi has also helped unknowingly. If he had not gone on a rampage, you might have stayed unconscious for another two days at least."

He finished writing and tied up the scroll to a crow he summoned. He gently took Rin from Gaara's arms and said, "Our mission is completed."

"We finished earlier than expected," Sasuki said.

"A lot earlier, dattebayo!" Naruto said. "How about we treat ourselves to real beds for a job well-done?"

Naruto waited for an answer. They did do well on this mission. Even if it didn't go as planned.

"It only seems appropriate," Itachi finally responded with a smile. "We will reach the nearest village before nightfall if we leave now."

"Alright!" Naruto said as he pumped his fist into the air. Rin, seemingly knowing of what was happening, let out a happy giggle of her own. "But, hey?"

Itachi, Sasuki and Gaara simultaneously looked at Naruto.

"You all care for me, right?" Naruto asked honestly.

"I wouldn't have joined you if I didn't care for you," Gaara was the first to answer. "You're my first friend."

"You are like the little brother I never had, Naruto," Itachi decided to say after a while. Rin muttered gibberish right after Itachi finished talking.

"Sasuki?" Naruto turned to face the girl who hadn't spoken yet.

Sasuki crossed her arms and turned her head dramatically to the side. Then she said, "Idiot."

"I know you love me, though, dattebayo," Naruto brushed off the insult. He didn't see the blush that formed on Sasuki's cheeks. "Okay, I'll just tell the Shingetsu lady this and then we can go."

Naruto ran towards the lakeshore and cupped his small hands over his mouth.

"Oi, lady," he shouted with his eyes closed with effort. "My Tou-san and Kaa-san, they're not here anymore but I can still feel their love. And Rin's here, too. I'll protect her, dattebayo. Sasuki, too. Itachi-nii and Gaara, also. They care for me. They're family,"

"Kurama may still dislike me, but I'll work on that, dattebayo. And when, we're bestfriends, I'll come back here and show you!"

And just as fast as he ran to the shore, he was back to where he stood with Sasuki and the others.

"Let's go, dattebayo!" And with that, they were off, feeling a certain aura of happiness and a feeling of security not one of them could explain. A feeling that overcame what tragedies each of them had experienced before.

Perhaps it's their families who had passed on watching over them. Perhaps it's of the new family that was only forming. Whatever the feeling emanated from, each of them welcomed it.

Two years later, these feelings remained, and even became stronger with time.

* * *

Sorry for the latenesss... I lost my precious internet connection and now I have to connect to unsuspecting wifi connections-.-


End file.
